Boxing Scotland

Promoting and Developing Boxing In Scotland

News

COVID – 19 Phase 3 Announcement

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Dear Members

We welcome today’s announcement from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, confirming the movement into Phase Three of Scotland’s route map out of lockdown from Friday 10 July.

The extension of exercise guidelines in Phase One and Two has allowed individuals to participate in outdoor non-contact boxing activities, providing benefits to physical health, mental health and wellbeing. It continues to be inspiring to see wide participation in our ‘at home’ training sessions and different Club community support programmes. This has displayed our clubs’ close ties with their local communities and the commitment to the physical aspects of the sport whilst protecting the health of the wider public, which remains our most pressing priority.

We are continuing to work with the Scottish Government and sportscotland to update necessary guidance documents, tailored towards phase 3, which will be published in coming days. Once the details of today’s announcement have been fully considered, we will ensure that the updated guidance documents are made available to our members.

In the meantime, please continue to stay safe and best regards

Boxing Scotland

Congratulations Megan Reid

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TOP FIVE! 🥊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Congratulations to Megan Reid, female member of our Elite Boxer Group, who has been ranked 5th in the world by AIBA (International Boxing Association)!

A fantastic achievement for Megan and Scotland. She now has her eyes on that number 1 spot! 👊

 

Club COVID-19 Co-ordinator

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Dear Members,

I hope everyone is staying safe and well.

As I am sure you can appreciate, this unprecedented time that we find ourselves in remains a fluid situation which is ever changing day to day, week to week.

There has been a lot of guidance already published by Boxing Scotland and this will continue over the coming weeks and months as we manage a route back to boxing’s return.

However, we appreciate that this guidance can be difficult to stay on top of as it is constantly evolving.

To help ensure that clubs are following the correct guidance at the correct time, we are asking that every club nominate a ‘Club COVID-19 Co-ordinator’ who would be the main point of contact within each club for Boxing Scotland and also for their own club members with regards to COVID-19.

This person, who may be a coach or on the committee, would receive up to date information directly from Boxing Scotland and would be responsible for ensuring their club is following the current guidelines.

We kindly ask that all clubs please complete the below ‘Club COVID-19 Co-ordinator Role Descriptor’ and e-mail it to your relevant Regional Development Officer by Friday July 24th 2020.

Club-COVID-19-Co-ordinator-Role-DescriptorDownload

Regards,

The Boxing Scotland Regional Development Team

North District – Ben Holme, ben.holme@boxingscotland.org 07702 866135

East District – Stewart Ferguson, stewart.ferguson@boxingscotland.org 07944 598755           

West District – Paul Coleman, paul.coleman@boxingscotland.org 07803 513699

Boxing Coach wins first ever Team Scotland Stars Award

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NAIRN Boxing Club coach Kevin Brooks has won the inaugural Team Scotland Stars individual award, while Boxing Scotland has finished runners-up in the Group/Organisation category.

Kevin admitted he was shocked to have received the award, which recognised his dedication and selfless actions through the challenging times of the past few months.

With the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic meaning that life is very different for all of us, Team Scotland Stars is a monthly award to recognise those going above and beyond to help others through these difficult times.

The expert judging panel of former First Minister for Scotland, Jack McConnell, badminton star Kirsty Gilmour and Team Scotland Youth Trust Board Director, Denise Holmes had the difficult task of narrowing it down to just four in each of the two categories to go forward to the public vote.

The North District club has been delivering free online Zoom training to the community since the lockdown in March.

“Shocked, I was totally shocked. I didn’t believe it,” the 36-year-old said.

“I haven’t even got a clue who nominated me.

“I was in the garden with my son and my wife came out and said you have won an award.

“I have just been trying to keep active with the local community and make sure the boxers are doing okay.”

As a former soldier who suffered from PTSD, Kevin has also been working with Poppy Scotland over the last few months to help highlight Mental Health issues for ex-servicemen and their families.

The veteran knows only too well how this current situation could be affecting people’s mental health and shares the importance of reaching out, especially when you are feeling low.

He advised: “If you’re struggling to stay positive, get in touch with your mates or track down your former comrades you have served with – this is the time to come together. Find something to do that makes you happy and try to write three things down each day that you are grateful for.”

Kevin beat off competition from James Cairns from Bishopton Military Fitness Club, Lothian Disability Sport Archery Co-ordinator Richard Vallis and City of Edinburgh Volleyball Development Officer Emma Waldie to win the award.

Meanwhile, Boxing Scotland finished as runners-up in the inaugural Team Scotland Stars Group/Organisation category after being noted for our commitment to improving communities physical and mental well-being.

Helping Hands Edinburgh and West Lothian Fencing Club also finished as runners-up, with Falkirk Junior Bike Club picking up the award.

COVID-19: GUIDANCE

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Dear Members,

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the membership for your continued support and patience with our phased return to Boxing during this unprecedented period.  We would also like to remind all clubs about the most recent guidance issued by Boxing Scotland.  The Last announcement from the Scottish Government on the 18th June 2020 was about the staggering progression into Phase Two of the route map out of lockdown.  It was a really positive move for our sport and we welcome getting another step closer to a return to boxing activity in Scotland.  We will keep you updated as we move forward with the easing of restrictions by the Scottish Government as and when the decisions are made.

Scottish Government Phase 2 means;  Epidemic Status – Virus is controlled but the risk of spreading remains. Focus is on containing outbreaks.

However, over the last couple of weeks it has been brought to our attention that a small number of clubs have not been following the latest guidance issued;  BOXING SCOTLAND: COVID-19 Guidance for returning to boxing Activities 20 June 2020

We urge clubs to remain within the guidance, so as not to cause a particular spike in your local community or local authority region in Scotland.  We are now beginning to see these spikes in England, notably Leicester at this particular time.  We have worked hard to ensure guidance is accepted by sportscotland and Public Health Scotland, in order to get a phased return as restrictions are eased by the First Minister and the Scottish Government.  We do not want our sport of Boxing to be targeted as being at fault for any new spikes in the pandemic, which will undoubtedly cause the return of our sport being further delayed.

Further to this, only activity conducted in line with the most recent Guidance issued by Boxing Scotland will be covered by the BSL insurance policy.  Activities out with this guidance will not be covered.

I would stress that we are not at the same stage as either England or Ireland and that we only follow the Scottish Parliaments’ phased return.  In line with this, BSL will only sanction future travel to Box Cups or Competitions if the Scottish Governments restrictions allow.

Please see the latest approved guidance for everyone’s information. BOXING SCOTLAND: COVID-19 Guidance for returning to boxing Activities 20 June 2020

Also included in the link is the Risk Management Plan Risk Management Plan

Again, we thank you for your understanding and patience through this unprecedented period.
 
Regards
Fraser Walker

Development Roadshow

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Dear Members,

Just a reminder that we have our second and final Development Roadshow presentation on Zoom tomorrow evening (Thursday 25th June) at 7:30pm.

The agenda will be as follows;

1. Covid-19
An update on the response, current situation and plans for the future with regards to COVID-19.

2. Minimum Operating Requirements
An update on the planned changes to the Boxing Scotland MOR’s (Minimum Operating Requirements)

3. Child Protection training update
An update on the recent changes to Child Protection training

4. Q & A

If any coach, delegate or working official would like to join the Development Roadshow if they could please e-mail their relevant Regional Development Officer (details at the bottom of this post) and they will be put down on the list.

The log-in details for the meeting will then be sent out to that person’s e-mail on the day of the meeting.

For security purposes, these details should not be shared with anybody else, including other members of your club.

There is no limit on the number of people from one club who can attend (as long as they are a coach, delegate or working official) however, again for security purposes, each person will have to follow the above procedure.

Only people who have followed the above procedure and are on the meeting list will be permitted access to the meeting.

If you have never used Zoom before, here is a short Youtube video on how to join a meeting; https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=34&v=hIkCmbvAHQQ&feature=emb_logo

EAST REGION RDO
Stewart Ferguson stewart.ferguson@boxingscotland.org

WEST REGION RDO
Paul Coleman paul.coleman@boxingscotland.org

NORTH REGION RDO
Ben Holme ben.holme@boxingscotland.org