SAFA Skysailor Magazine

12 SKY SAILOR January | February 2021 by John Harriott The last financial year was in all aspects very challenging. Devastating bushfires followed by the Covid-19 crisis are still having a significant impact on our free flying sport. Travelling and flying restrictions, closed flying sites, cancelled events and competitions provided not only hardship for pilots, organisers and others affiliated with our flying community, but to all people in Australia. The 2019/2020 Financial Year in Brief This financial year, the NSWHPA provided financial support for our sports development within NSW by funding club site maintenance, redevelopments and access, pilot skill devel- opment (endorsements, courses, safety clinics), growing and maintaining our live weather stations network and support towards local competition and events for NSW pilots. Your NSWHPA volunteers took advantage of less flying time by applying successfully for various grants with the NSW Government and received an unprecedented amount of financial support from the NSW Office of Sport. A strong, multi-year relationship is in place between the NSWHPA and the NSW Office of Sport, and sourced funds are applied to benefit the pilot community well in excess of monies received from direct pilot financial contributions. During the 2019/2020 financial year the NSWHPA’s revenue increased due to Grant provision to $154,760.14 (vs $98,582.62 in previous FY). Total expenditure has decreased to $83,800.94 (vs $119,816.24 in previous FY) which comprised $78,989.90 of financial support to NSW Clubs/Members and $4,811.14 operating expenses of the NSWHPA. The financial year 2019/2020 reflected a decrease in total membership to 980 (vs 1051 in previous FY). This included four life members and 52 female pilots (vs 55 in previous FY). In addition, there were 125 registered students (vs 161 in previous FY) in NSW (102 male and 23 female). Currently there are 18 SAFA registered Clubs in NSW. SAFA (formerly HGFA) introduced changes to the NSW Regional Boundaries and has assigned pilots living in NSW areas surrounding the ACT (i.e. post codes 2580-2582, 2618- 2621) as part of the ACTHPA. Further, SAFA’s name change required the NSWHPA to review and update existing policies and guidelines. These changes required a revision of the NSWHPA Constitution, which was presented and unanimously passed by the membership at the AGM in September 2020. In order to maintain compliance with new rules and regulations in NSW, and to meet the requirements of the NSW Governments Office of Sport, the Committee has developed and implemented four new policies to add to the existing five which will also assist Clubs with their external dealings (Volunteer Policy, Inclusion Policy, Integrity Policy and Risk Management Policy). Refer to nswhpa.org. The 2019/2020 NSWHPA Executive Committee consisted of 100% volunteers which were elected at the 2019 NSWHPA AGM held on 26 September 2019. The NSWHPA was able to appoint Judith de Groot to fill a vacancy on the committee during the year and we are fortunate to have her leading our representation for future grant applications. The 2020 AGM also saw the election of Karen Waller to the CoM in a marketing/communications capacity and this The NSW Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association