The coaching services provided by Ian are hugely important but only partially touch upon the pivotal role he has played in supporting shooting in Scotland. For over 20 years, Ian was the Chair of the Scottish Smallbore Rifle Association (or SSRA), the voluntary body overseeing smallbore rifle shooting in Scotland. Ian did a fantastic job in keeping the organisation running with only a team of volunteers, helping to provide events and opportunities for people in Scotland. It was through his role with the SSRA that Ian became involved with the Scottish Target Shooting Federation, where he sat on the committee as the SSRA representative for a number of years. Latterly, with the amalgamation of the different voluntary bodies in Scotland to form STS, Ian now serves as the Sports Vice Chair in which capacity his enormous experience, calm authority and leadership qualities have been of immense value to the Chair, Board and sport of target shooting more generally.

In these roles for STSF and STS, Ian has shown the same dedication as he has continued to show throughout his coaching career, giving up much of his personal time on a purely voluntary basis to support the wider cause of helping to develop and support shooting in Scotland. Of note, Ian has been involved for many years in the project to establish a National Shooting Centre to Scotland and more recently represents STS on the Firearms Practitioners Group meeting that brings together the main firearms bodies in the country with Police Scotland and the Scottish Government to make sure the shooting community is joined up in its approach to matters relating to firearms.

Ian is widely respected and liked throughout the shooting community in Scotland and STS can think of no one more deserving of state recognition. Recognition of this nature is hugely welcomed by all in the sport of shooting in Scotland who know Ian, and it is appropriate recognition for his immense contribution to the sport over five decades. Congratulations Ian.