New Beginnings
With my journey at Denis Law Legacy Trust at an end, I wanted to reflect on my time with the charity so others can see what’s possible for you here. As someone who has never been overly comfortable talking about themselves, putting this blog together has not been without its challenges. That said, this piece is all about trying and embracing new things. So here goes!
I first began my journey with Denis Law Legacy Trust in January 2021 as a student placement from Robert Gordon University, Communication Design. It was a very different world then, with Aberdeen under lockdown and working from home now the mainstream.
It was here where I first met Mark, who gave me the opportunity to get stuck into a range of creative projects, meet new people and, most importantly, try new things. I had never made a video or exhibition banners before, but the charity gave me a platform and the support to do these things which in turn, built up my portfolio. No day was the same and as a young designer starting out in the industry, it was a real privilege to be part of an organisation that makes such a positive difference.
My placement had given me the tools to begin making some big strides. I took on more freelance creative projects, graduated BA (hons) Communication Design and made a brief detour into full-time employment elsewhere. At the time, I thought my journey with the Trust had reached its end as it is an incredibly tight-knit team, with full-time vacancies only coming along once in a blue moon – testament to the job satisfaction and dedication of the team.
Thankfully, I soon got my chance when the Communications and Marketing Officer vacancy appeared on my timeline.
I was fortunate to get the role and started in October 2022, working with Mark, Hannah and Kiana – a small but mighty team that showed me the ropes as I picked up from where I left off. Not an organisation to ever stand still, those first three months saw the Annual Fundraising Dinner, Battle of the Brits and, Streetsport legend, Dave Thompson nominated for a BBC SPOTY award!
Admittedly, a lot of this was new territory for me. Unlike the rest of the team, I had never worked with young people, nor did I know much, if anything, about sport. Also, as a graphic designer, I was relatively new to the field of communications. However, if my placement had taught me one thing, it was to get stuck in and try new things and so, I did.
2023 introduced me to the Trust’s calendar of fundraising events, Sport di Strada and Community Fun Days. All fast-paced events, I started to find my feet and took on more responsibility managing the charity’s communications. I also hosted my first Communication Design placement, which was a cool full-circle moment! Not to be forgotten, over the course of the year our once small team grew with Nikki, Aimee, Findlay and Rhys all bringing their talents to support the Trust’s continued growth.
Fast forward to 2024. Packed with milestones such as the Denis Law RGUplus Award, Impact Report, Denis Law’s Academy, grand opening of the Cruyff Court Willie Miller, Volunteer Transfer and Global Peace Games, the Trust was in position to support more young people than ever before. I feel incredibly fortunate to have seen the Cruyff Court come from nothing to become the popular and much-welcome safe space that it is today, where young people can take part in sport and activity without the financial barrier that often comes with accessing sport facilities.
Around this time, Streetsport coach Alaina also joined our growing team alongside several long-time participants and volunteers who also took the next step in their Streetsport journeys. More examples of the charity’s many positive pathways that provide new opportunities for personal development.
A personal highlight for me was the Volunteer Transfer with Foundation 92. A memorable week (in part due to Hotel Football), I really enjoyed getting stuck into the games, learning from Foundation 92 and working alongside some of our fantastic young volunteers. This was my first time working directly with young people and it is truly rewarding and makes me appreciate even more the dedication of staff and volunteers.
With the year almost over, I had grown in confidence and, while I still enjoyed the occasional creative project, decided that I wanted communications to be my focus going forward. And so, armed with my new experiences, I felt that it was time to once again try something new and make a change.
Denis Law Legacy Trust has been a huge part of my life for the past few years, I have made friends and memories that will stay with me for years to come, and I am truly grateful for the experience. A big thank you to everyone - from the full-time staff to coaches, volunteers, trustees and more - who has made my time with the Trust so special.
I can’t recommend this job enough. So, when it appears on your timeline, try something new and don’t hesitate to apply.
For now, adios!
Greg
