The following is a quick read summary of the AGM held in January:
– Executive Committee (formed following the EGM) have all agreed to continue in post this year and were unanimously voted in but we are on the look out for a couple of people to take on Safeguarding and Fixtures Co-ordinator next year so speak to either Claire or Paul if you’re interested
– funds received from SOA for mapping projects and plans for things like a new Stonehaven urban map are in the pipeline
– Claire was thanked for all her hard work in helping ensure Gramp complies with the new government and SOA guidelines on safeguarding
– where are the Musgrave Trophies? couldn’t be awarded this year as we don’t know where they are. Are you a past winner and still have one somewhere?
– some discussion on making the Urban League more competitive again and reinstating the Lego trophies – what do you think?
– new jackets were very popular and Ros is happy to order some more if we can get sufficient interest as minimum order is 10 jackets
– SI controls are aging and will need new batteries in the next couple of years but other than that no big kit expenditure planned so what are we going to do with the funds sitting in our new higher interest savings account – do you have any ideas for projects to boost membership for example?
Congratulations to those who won club champs trophies:
| Junior Men | Junior Women |
| Fergus Gallagher | Samantha McDonald |
| Senior Men | Senior Women |
| Ian Morrison | |
| Veteran Men | Veteran Women |
| Julian Robinson | Fiona McDonald |
| Super Veteran Men | Super Veteran Women |
| Ian Hamilton | Laura Farquharson |
The Chairman’s Quaich was presented to Dave Kirk for doing a such a brilliant job in organizing the really successful Grampian Mountain Challenge in 2025.
Chairman’s AGM Report 2026
At last year’s AGM, we changed out the three main committee posts and I’d like to thank those who took on new posts and those members who continued in their current roles. In June we held an EGM in order to update our constitution and define an Executive committee for PVG and safeguarding purposes. So we now have an Executive committee of Chairman, Secretary (Fiona), Treasurer (Adrian), Mapping & POCs (Ros), Safeguarding /Child Protection (Claire Gallagher) and Coach (David). In addition we have a Membership Secretary (Sam and Lesley), Fixtures & Permissions coordinator (Paul), Event Registration (Mark), Website /IT (Rachel) and Equipment (Jonathan). I’d like to thank them all for their efforts this year in enabling us to run as a club and put on so many events – this year Gramp organised 28 events (versus 34 in 2024 and 29 in 2023).
Events: The biggest event of the year was another 6 Day in Deeside which many of the club took advantage of to compete in. Our day to help was on Glen Dye – thanks to everyone who turned out to help. As a local club, we had been asked to supply members of the central organising committee but were unable to find anyone. Many of these roles were filled by members of other clubs but the 6 day committee is facing a challenge in finding enough volunteers to run future 6 day events and is seeking feedback from clubs. The choice seems to be more professional help (and higher entry fees) or simplification and fewer helpers (and maybe lower standards). If you have an opinion (or even have time to serve on the 6 day board), let me know.
The highlight of the year as a club was another very successful GMC, held in splendid weather in October. Having declared that 2023 was his last, I’d like to thank Dave Kirk for stepping up again and making the GMC happen, along with Ian Hamilton who planned the courses. It remains very popular and is filling a need as the only Mountain Marathon currently in Scotland (except when the OMM comes). The GMC is also the most profitable event the club organises by far and underwrites a lot of our activity (and mapping projects) so thanks to everyone who helped make it a success again. How’s the plans for 2027 Dave?
Besides these 2 big events, we also organised a DNC night O series and a forest sprint series (with Maroc), a summer series and 3 Sunday events. One of these included an inaugural Scout competition which we hope to repeat and attract more scouts in the future.
Membership: At the end of 2025 we have 103 members (including 10 juniors), up from 95 in 2024 of which 14 are new members. It is encouraging that we are growing in numbers and we need to focus on events that both attract new members and keep those we have in the sport and provide opportunities to improve.
At the end of 2024 the committee conducted a survey about what events the club should provide and we have tried to honour the survey results in setting fixtures and areas. We are looking for opportunities to run more training events, either standalone with Maroc or in conjunction with a weekend event. Please support these if you see them advertised.
Mapping: Our map stock has required an upgrade since the storms of 2021 and Ros has been making steady progress in updating old areas and adding new. In 2025 we have completed maps of Hazelhead (with approximately 50% funding help from SOA), Glen Dye (sponsored by the 6 days) and Crathes will be remapped in the spring (with about 50% help from SOA). In 2026 we are looking to map part of Stonehaven (at our expense) for use in urban events and possibly a SOUL. As you can hear, the committee has been busy applying for grants and squeezing money from various sources, including £1500 towards the cost of the 2022 Glen Dye update for the Scottish champs that year. We have also had support from SOA in running a beginners session in Hazlehead and a 1 day coaching course.
Ros has also been busy upgrading our POCs and planning a new one. We are working with Duthie Park rangers on upgrading the POC there (with hopefully 50% funding from the Friends of Duthie Park) and planning a new course at Hazlehead (with the help of a £300 grant obtained from the Aberdeen Health Improvement fund by the SOA on our behalf). We have also helped the scouts renew the Templars course.
Club Successes this year :
Despite being one of the smaller clubs in the UK, Gramp is currently ranked no 13 based on the performances of our members in major events. In the season long SOL series, David, Adrian and Neil won their classes. It was great to see so many members including new members at the Scottish champs on Barry Buddon where Adrian won his class and 6 others won medals. We had 5 teams competing in the Scottish relays again including some new members experiencing relays for the first time (and showing us old timers how its done). We had 2 teams at the British champs in the Lakes but our biggest success of the year was in the schools championships where Fergus was 1st in P7 boys, Hazlehead won the S2 Girls trophy (Joanna 2nd, Willow 3rd and Rowan 6th); Samantha came 3rd in S4 in the Scottish Schools. The British schools were in Scotland this year and Samantha won G12, Fergus was 7th in year 8 boys and the Hazlehead team of Joanna, Willow and Rowan won the G9 trophy. British champions! This success was due to the hard work Fiona & Zoe have put in at Hazlehead Academy where 7 pupils took part in the afterschool club and 14 came to the ‘Wellbeing Day’ session. As a result of their results, Joanna and Samantha are both in Scotjos and Samantha has been selected for the British Talent Squad.
What is there to look forward to in 2026?
The Scottish Nights is in Deeside followed by a Gramp regional event on Potarch in mid February. The Scottish middles and CSC heats are also in February on the Trossachs if anyone is looking for a challenge. This year the JK 4 day event comes to Scotland at Easter for the first time since 2012 which, like the 6 days, is a great opportunity to run in a big event. Our day to help is Friday at the Perth sprint so please come and help. Gramp are hosting a SOL event for the first time in a few years on Glen Dye on May 3rd. Paul is organising and Bob planning and would welcome help on the day.
I’d like to end by thanking everyone, in whatever capacity, who helped put on the wide range of events the club organised this year – it is only with this willingness to step forward that we get to run the events we do.
Thankyou.
Tim Griffin
Some of our 2025 Successes showing what a broad range of orienteering disciplines our members enjoy competing in:
Scottish O Champs
1st M50S Adrian Will
2nd M12A Fergus Gallagher, M70L Paul Duley
3rd M80 Neil McLean, W14A Jo McDonald, W45L Fiona McDonald, W55S Ros Nicholson
Scottish Relay Champs
Junior Total BOF Age 44-: 4th Maroc Stars incl Fergus Gallacher
17+ points class: 4th ‘Gramp3’ Ian Morrison, Adrian Will, Gavin Morrison
5th ‘Gramp2’ Pete Lawrence, Fiona McDonald, Dennis McDonald
6th ‘Gramp1’ Tim Griffin, Samantha McDonald, Bob Daly
8th ‘Gramp4’ Matthew Humphreys, Lesley Gomersall, Sam Gomersall
Scottish Orienteering League
1st M45S David Esson, M50S Adrian Will, M80 Neil McLean
2nd M50S Julian Robinson
Scottish Urban Orienteering League
6th Womens Supervet Laura Farquharson
Scottish Middle Champs
3rd M12 Fergus Gallacher
5th W Vet Fiona McDonald
6th W16 Sam McDonald, M Supervet Tim Griffin
8th W Ultravet Oonagh Grassie
British Night Champs
2nd M45S David Esson
Scottish Night Champs
1st Open 4 David Esson
GRAMPIAN ORIENTEERS 