Diane Cockayne - Director
Written by Administrator Sunday, 19 July 2009 14:42
DirectorsI have been a Wednesdayite Director for around 7 years - initially being co-opted, then elected to help with community projects. I resigned in 2008 when I moved away to Norfolk for a year to undertake a temporary work contract.
On my return to Sheffield I was asked if I would organise the distribution of SMILE tickets to young patients of the Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
On my return to Sheffield I was asked if I would organise the distribution of SMILE tickets to young patients of the Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
This I have done, hopefully successfully, and I have enabled many visits to Hillsborough by children and their mums, dads and carers who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to attend. I am already planning fundraising for next season so Wednesdayite can buy the season tickets which will allow us to continue the SMILE scheme. Although coordinating and allocating SMILE tickets takes up a lot of time (I recently had a call asking about the scheme while on holiday in Spain!), I also find time to help out in the Wednesdayite portacabin on match days.
I have been a Wednesday supporter for as long as I can remember, having been born within shouting distance of the stadium. I also have two grown up children who are both Wednesdayites and also a recently ‘converted’ daughter-in-law. It has not been easy though as I spent a great deal of my childhood ‘down south’ where I was the only Owl amongst hordes of Southampton and Bournemouth supporters. Indeed one of my worst memories was the defeat to Bournemouth at Dean Court during our last visit to League One!
As a long standing supporter I am acutely aware of the problems which have beset the club over the recent and more distant past. I passionately believe in the principles of supporter engagement and ideally, shareholding, for a more sustainable future for football in this country. My background is in community nursing and health visiting. I have also taught both law and nursing students at University and I’m currently working both in Sheffield and Huddersfield (another away match we need to win this season)! As someone who works in a very economically deprived area of the city, I see on a day to day basis the difference the involvement of, (in addition to the SMILE tickets scheme), SWFC and Wednesdayite coaching for example, can make to school children and their families. I can also identify with the potential for Sheffield Wednesday Football Club to make an even bigger difference to our local communities and would like to help this happen.
In the meantime, having evaluated my first season working with the SMILE ticket scheme, I have identified improvements which need to be made in allocation, distribution and publicity in order for us to build on our success. For that I need to continue to work with my fellow board members, SWFC, Fans, Wednesdayite members and as before, with community groups and the Children’s Hospital. The scheme needs all of us to pull together to make it even bigger and better this time round.
I have been a Wednesday supporter for as long as I can remember, having been born within shouting distance of the stadium. I also have two grown up children who are both Wednesdayites and also a recently ‘converted’ daughter-in-law. It has not been easy though as I spent a great deal of my childhood ‘down south’ where I was the only Owl amongst hordes of Southampton and Bournemouth supporters. Indeed one of my worst memories was the defeat to Bournemouth at Dean Court during our last visit to League One!
As a long standing supporter I am acutely aware of the problems which have beset the club over the recent and more distant past. I passionately believe in the principles of supporter engagement and ideally, shareholding, for a more sustainable future for football in this country. My background is in community nursing and health visiting. I have also taught both law and nursing students at University and I’m currently working both in Sheffield and Huddersfield (another away match we need to win this season)! As someone who works in a very economically deprived area of the city, I see on a day to day basis the difference the involvement of, (in addition to the SMILE tickets scheme), SWFC and Wednesdayite coaching for example, can make to school children and their families. I can also identify with the potential for Sheffield Wednesday Football Club to make an even bigger difference to our local communities and would like to help this happen.
In the meantime, having evaluated my first season working with the SMILE ticket scheme, I have identified improvements which need to be made in allocation, distribution and publicity in order for us to build on our success. For that I need to continue to work with my fellow board members, SWFC, Fans, Wednesdayite members and as before, with community groups and the Children’s Hospital. The scheme needs all of us to pull together to make it even bigger and better this time round.
