On our final post of Volunteer Week 2025, it would not be right to finish without saying a huge thank you to those who give up their time to act as Directors of the Scottish Orienteering Association and the Scottish 6 Days. Without their efforts we simply would not be able to function the way we do!
Looking back to our fabulous volunteers we had to mention all those involved in staging the 2024 Sprint World Championships (WOC) in Edinburgh last summer. Thousands of hours of volunteering made the vent not only a huge success but also possible! Thank you to everyone involved but special mention to a few – Lindsey Knox (Roxburgh Reivers) who organised the successful WOC Tour event, Lorna Eades (Interlopers) for all her organisational skills in making sure the broadcast/ media was possible and worked at WOC, Jonathon and Rona Molloy (Forth Valley Orienteers) for running the WOC Office and managing the athlete experience and Mark Stodgell (Quantock Orienteers/ Walton Chasers) for his work as IT Director.
Read More…By Louise Adams – SOA Development Officer
The 2025 Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival brought together over 350 pupils from across the country for a day of activity, adventure, and fun. This year, we invited schools to share their own reflections on the event — from training and preparation to the experience on the day itself. Read on to hear from two schools who took part.
Read More…By Louise Adams – SOA Development Officer
In recent years, orienteering clubs across Scotland have been exploring creative ways to raise awareness of the sport, attract new members, and connect with wider communities. One initiative that’s gaining some traction is the parkrun takeover — where orienteering clubs volunteer to fill key roles at a local parkrun event and host an orienteering taster activity alongside the classic 5k run.
These takeovers offer a unique opportunity to introduce orienteering to an audience that already shares a love for running and the outdoors. By engaging directly with local runners in a friendly, accessible environment, clubs can demystify orienteering and highlight how well it complements existing fitness and adventure interests.
Read More…Yesterday we celebrated the contributions of some longstanding members – today, at the opposite end of the spectrum, we look at the involvement of one of our younger members.
Holly has just finished a stint of 3 years as President of Stirling University Orienteering and Hill Running Club. As well as being the mainstay of the club, Holly took on organising the Scottish Student Championships and completed her Club Coach course with flying colours – all this in her final year at University.
We wish Holly all the best in whatever the future has in store for her.
In celebrating Holly’s achievements, we also remember the contribution of all the members of student clubs who give their time and effort to give other young people the chance to take up orienteering and support their development.
On Thursday June 5, Pittencrieff Park in Dunfermline welcomed pupils from all across Scotland, hosting the much-anticipated Scottish Schools Orienteering Festival. This year’s event was a resounding success, bringing together almost 400 enthusiastic pupils to showcase their navigational skills, sportsmanship and teamwork.
Today we are celebrating the contribution of two long standing members who have fulfilled a huge variety of roles in their time and continue to support their clubs in a myriad of ways – both mappers but so much more besides and coincidentally one from the northernmost club and one from almost the southernmost.
David has supported local, regional and national orienteering for many years. Event organisers will be aware of his contribution to the orienteering community as a reliable map printer, but he works tirelessly – negotiating access for his local club, Moravians, supporting visitors who want to train in our lovely Moray forests, organising events such as the recent Lady Culbin SOL and mentoring fellow club members. He even finds time to do some mapping! David always has a joke to share, and is a pleasure to work alongside in delivering for the orienteering community. Fit a loon! Suzanne asked him for a photo, got sent all these and couldn’t choose between them. So – the ages of Dave Ritchie and barely a map in sight!
The INVOC President’s Quaich for services to the club was awarded to Tara Black at the last AGM. Since 2017, Tara has collated and distributed the weekly newsletter which is always a mine of information, beautifully organised and promptly distributed. Tara also updates the INVOC facebook page as part of her publicity role. She is a long serving member of the committee and regularly helps at events. Her forte is cake stall organising, and she excelled herself at the Scottish Championships last year.
Today we celebrate two members, both Davids, who have a wide reaching commitment to many aspects of orienteering, fulfilling multiple roles to keep their clubs running smoothly.
We start off volunteer week by celebrating the life of someone who contributed a huge amount to orienteering over the years. This heartfelt tribute comes from Terry of STAG in memory of his friend Jim McCormack.
Jim had been involved with STAG for over 30 years. Not a regular competitor himself but more a ‘hands on’ approach including part of the Lochaber 2001 S6Days Equipment Team and always available to lend a hand. Over the years with permission from his good lady, Marie, he was able to get time away to join in Club Weekends including The Purple Thistle @ Balmacara and wee day outings to support his former colleagues from Kilbowie Outdoor Centre @ ECKO’s local events. Being a Geography Teacher his passion was maps and making learning FUN and taking young people from Lanarkshire, where he himself was born and bred, into the Great Outdoors through the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme where he was an Expedition Leader.
