14-03-2014, 01:57 PM
David Deary Wrote:Phil, Derek,
I don't believe I can be any clearer, my proposal is that the HJB discuss how affiliation would work in practical terms and what the benefits are etc.
The first meeting is on the 28 March @ 19:15 via Skype, you are welcome to attend, SJC were invited onto the HJB and that invite still stands. That is the correct 'forum' to engage in, in this instance. Alternatively, if you don't wish to join the meeting, you can email me prior to the HJB meeting with concerns or issues and these will be considered. Following the HJB's discussions I will contact you to keep you aprised of developments.
I don't think it would be fair for me to be drawn into predetermining that discussion of the HJB and as such I won't be adding anything further.
Also Phil,
I think it was a very nice gesture by SJC to donate the boards, sets and clocks to junior clubs. I'm happy to put on record the gratitude that CS has to SJC and the other junior organisations, leagues and associations who also do this to encourage chess at the grass roots level. To my recollection, I don't believe this has been acknowledged by any previous Junior Director but I agree with you and believe it is something that should be put right.
As an example, this year in Ayrshire, the Ayrshire Chess Association donated new boards and sets to kick start chess on Arran coupled with our policy of getting boards and sets into primary schools across Ayrshire. This is part of the ACA's policy of supporting and encouraging chess throughout Ayrshire and we have requested funding from CS in the past and it was never forthcoming even when CS had the income from the grant. From memory, I believe you were a Director at this time so with the loss of the grant I find it surprising that you now imply that CS would be in a position to fund such activities. ;-)
David,
Thank you for your kind words about the SJC donations. Let me say that I feel the same way about the ACA donations to Ayrshire/ Arran.
However, both sets of donations were made, I presume, totally independently of Chess Scotland personnel. Would affiliation or not of ACA to Chess Scotland have made any difference?
Was I a director of CS at the time of the ACA request for support? Actually I don't know. I was the IJD from 2008 and 2011 - you have not actually put a date to the request. The requests for financial assistance did not reach me. But if they had it would have been difficult for me to fund grass roots chess from an international budget. I suspect that the dates don't overlap with Jacqui's time as a CS director. Her budget would have been easier to spend for the purpose you outlined. In a typical year if I recall correctly around £1,000 was allocated to the Schools Development Director which was usually not spent by the end of the season. I do, of course, know that things may be different now.
On a related topic
Robin elsewhere states that up to now
"Chess Scotland up till now have spent a hefty chunk of their budget in supporting juniors at international events including in 2012/2013. The support has mostly been in the form of providing a head of delegation and coaches".
For the record
(a) Robin is not in a position to make statements or intimations about how I spent my budget.
(b) In my time as IJD hefty chunks of the budget were spent subsidising costs to the families of attending overseas events.
© Indications are that this practice ceased when I stepped down in 2011.
Between 2008 and 2011 I was doing both the IJD workload and a hefty SJC workload.
After 3 years of that I opted to reduce my input to SJC only.
Plus playing - this year is an exceptionally active playing season for me.
PS don't tell Joe I'm now only 3.5 points behind in the grand prix.
Plus some adult arbiting such as Glenrothes and SNCL later this month.
I don't see any driving need, on a personal basis, for joining the Junior Board.
It would inevitably reduce my time for non chess leisure activities.
I don't see the need for my input at this point - after all the three junior directorships were filled at the agm 7 months ago.