News and Stories

Newly elected Federation Delegates attend a Scottish Homing Council Meeting (15th March 2009)

Some of the SHU delegates at the March meeting – Back row L-R are John Quinn, George Bain. Jim McCann, Tom Davidson, Alistair Gibson, Douglas Bald, George Kelly & Douglas Telfer. Front seated L-R are Joe Murphy SHU PRO T Nolan, Ian Noble SHU President, S McFadzean & Gordon Turnbull SHU Vice Presidents.

The Statutory March meeting is when newly elected Federation Delegates attend a Scottish Homing Council meeting for the first time. SHU President, Ian Noble welcomed them along with those who have represented their Federations for many years. New faces for 2009 are:- Douglas Bald, Almond Valley; Tom Davidson, East of Scotland; George Kelly and Douglas Telfer, Lanarkshire; Andrew McKee, Midland; Malcolm Lawson, Midlothian; Ian Brown and Jim Niblo North West; Alan Ritchie, North of Scotland and T Nolan, Pentland Hills.

At the meeting Ian Noble, Ayrshire was unanimously re-elected as SHU President. S McFadzean re-elected and Gordon Turnbull elected as Senior and Junior Vice presidents respectively.

Appeal Court elected for 2009:
A Garven, J Ferguson, G Kelly, D Bald, J Quinn, A Gibson, J Niblo & M Lawson Plus Officials.

Rules Committee elected for 2009:
G Kelly, A Garven, A Gibson, J Quinn, J Ferguson, D Bald Plus officials.

Short Report on meeting:
Minutes from the December Statutory meeting, Appeal Meetings and Rules Meetings were ratified before the election of officials and various committees. Ian Noble gave a report on the Confederation, informing the Council that the RPRA had withdrawn membership from the confederation but to date it was not know whether this was permament. Council members received a hand out of the latest Confederation minutes. Linda Brooks, SHU Secretary gave detail on progress of the sparrowhawk research currently being undertaken jointly between SHU Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage. Date is being provided by 45 volunteer lofts from the Scottish Homing Union all of whom are sacrificing a great deal of their time completing diaries that will provide data for analysis. (The Union is fortunate to have members prepared to undertake what is undoubtedly a time consuming exercise and we are all endebted to them) Under correspondence there was notification of a new Federation (Strathclyde West) (Approved) and information on a new plastic insert for T3s in order that they can be used without thimbles (Also approved) These inserts will be available direct from the SHU office and organisation secretaries will receive details of cost etc in due course. The Council approved that SHU staff receive a 4% cost of living increase and there was some discussion on the stray centre which will remain in the competent hands of David Fleming who has undertaken the task for several years now. Awards for All grants were discussed and it was agreed that there seemed to be some inconsistency in how these grants were awarded.