Expensive member,
We’re writing to replace you on the progress of a number of key areas at Scottish Hockey, and to bolster our dedication to open communication and listening to your enter as we work to form a stronger future for hockey in Scotland.
Listening First – Brief-Time period Steering Group and competitors session – Supporting Lengthy-Time period Planning
The Scottish Hockey Board has established an unbiased short-term Steering Group to assist the event of a long-term strategic plan for hockey in Scotland. This group will work carefully with employees and key stakeholders, offering each assist and constructive problem to make sure the plan for hockey is practical, efficient, and aligned with the wants of our sport. This initiative displays our dedication to hear first to be able to strengthen and modernise hockey in Scotland in collaboration with these which are delivering each week —guaranteeing our collective plan is inclusive, sustainable, and match for the longer term—whereas additionally responding to the monetary challenges we confronted in 2024 that proceed to be a problem.
Members of the Steering Group had been nominated by Scottish Hockey employees and authorised by members of the board and trusted exterior companions, together with members of district, nationwide, and Nice Britain. Bringing collectively a various mixture of abilities and views, the group will work carefully with key stakeholders to develop a plan that displays present realities, engages precedence teams, and units a transparent imaginative and prescient for future success. We purpose to finish the event of this strategic plan by the top of the 12 months, with a view to implementation from 2026.
We imagine this work have to be collaborative to create a forward-looking and inclusive imaginative and prescient for hockey in Scotland. It would additionally reply to member suggestions on communication, serving to to strengthen engagement and transparency—leading to a plan all companions can confidently assist. Preserve a watch out on-line to get launched to the steering group within the coming weeks.
As a part of the drive to enhance collaboration and understanding our competitions staff have additionally launched a contest survey referring to the league your membership take part in. There ought to be one submission per membership with responses due earlier than thirtieth Could. Please contact [email protected] when you’ve got any particular person suggestions along with your formal membership response.
Males’s Premiership – https://varieties.workplace.com/e/B5p2xViyMM
Ladies’s Premiership – https://varieties.workplace.com/e/rj7LucktAh
Males’s Nationwide League – https://varieties.workplace.com/e/8AiCCVqJcq
Ladies’s Nationwide League – https://varieties.workplace.com/e/vUyGC2M9f2
Males’s Regional Leagues – https://varieties.workplace.com/e/W6Zp8kqRDr
Ladies’s Championship Leagues – https://varieties.workplace.com/e/SyeXwHA7Gn
Replace on Supreme Court docket Ruling and Implications for Hockey in Scotland
On the fifteenth of April 2025, the UK Supreme Court docket ruling clarified that beneath the Equality Act 2010, the time period “intercourse” refers to organic intercourse moderately than gender identification. Whereas this doesn’t require fast adjustments from sports activities governing our bodies, it could have a bearing on how insurance policies are developed round single-sex competitors, inclusion, and equity. Some sports activities have already made adjustments and others are reviewing their insurance policies in gentle of the ruling.
We perceive this choice raises essential and delicate questions for our sport and recognise that any progress we make—whether or not to replace a coverage or retain our present method—might have an effect on people inside our neighborhood. That’s why we’re approaching this with nice care, guided by authorized obligations, skilled experience, and a deep dedication to respecting and supporting our members.
The Equality and Human Rights Fee (EHRC) is predicted to publish up to date steerage for sports activities organisations earlier than the UK Parliament’s summer season recess. This steerage will assist make clear how the ruling interacts with present regulation and shall be a key useful resource in informing our subsequent steps.
Within the meantime, we’ll assessment how different governing our bodies are approaching this to assist our understanding whereas sustaining a deal with doing what’s proper for hockey in Scotland, balancing equity in each competitors and entry to the game.
No choices have been made at this stage. Over the summer season, we’ll take time to assessment the EHRC steerage and have interaction with our golf equipment, members, and companions. Member enter shall be an essential a part of this course of, alongside cautious consideration of authorized steerage and the wider implications for equity, security, and inclusion in our sport.
We purpose to supply an replace on our place earlier than the beginning of the 2025/26 season, topic to the timing of the EHRC steerage and our engagement course of.
For these wishing to discover the ruling additional, a useful abstract is obtainable right here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/information/articles/c74z04j23pwo
Glasgow Nationwide Hockey Centre – Constructing for the Future
Scottish Hockey continues to prioritise efforts on the Glasgow Nationwide Hockey Centre, an important facility for the way forward for hockey in Scotland. Our purpose is to work positively with companions to attempt to set up a sustainable enterprise mannequin that may assist in reactivating the location to a fuller use of the amenities out there. Additional data on these plans shall be shared at a web based customers group assembly for membership and neighborhood consciousness on 18th June.
Thanks, as at all times, to your dedication and partnership. We worth the contributions of each membership, official, volunteer, participant, and supporter. Collectively, we are able to form a stronger future for Scottish Hockey — one grounded in equity, inclusivity, and shared ambition.
Heat regards,
Derek Keir
