Project Directors
Yvonne Birnie
Chairperson
ybirnie@aviemoresportscentre.com
Yvonne Birnie has lived in Aviemore for 24 years and has always been involved in sport and the administration which goes along with it. Treasurer of the Tennis Club and Treasurer of the Sports Council enable her to have an insight as to what is needed in the area. A keen tennis player and curler she is hopeful of a great indoor facility which will be sustainable and available for all.
Sandra Murray
Financial Director
smurray@aviemoresportscentre.com
I am a qualified accountant and have lived in Aviemore for over 30 years, so have been here long enough to remember the ice hockey matches, curling, skating and conferences held in the old ice rink in its hey day. I am the Finance Director (6 years) for Cairngorm Mountain Ltd who operate the Funicular Railway and Ski Uplift. My experience ranges from being self employed running a cycle shop and gift shops to working in practice as an accountant preparing and audits accounts and preparing business plans, to now working in industry. I have skied all my life and enjoy leisurely golf, mountain biking, and caravanning!
Alex Burns-Smith
Company Secretary
aburns-smith@aviemoresportscentre.com
Alex Burns-Smith, local businessman resided in Aviemore for twelve years, member of the Aviemore Business Association for 10 years involved in raising money for events and community projects in the village. Director of the Cairngorms Chamber of Commerce for six years, chairman of same in 2009. Involved with the Aviemore Sports project since the start, reason for being involved,interested in sport for all, keen skier and a member of one of the local curling teams and very enthusiastic about working towards having an ice rink back in Aviemore.
Morgane Artacho
martacho@aviemoresportscentre.com
Morgane moved to Aviemore from Edinburgh in 2010 and has thrown herself enthusiastically into village life. She has a background in education, ranging from teaching to project management in the areas of student engagement and international education. Her work involved engaging people and organisations through promotion and project partnerships, thus securing further project funding and raising the profile of the organisations she has worked for. Since moving north has been involved with Cairngorm Outdoor Access Trust. She is Club Secretary at Cairngorm Runners and a volunteer with Disability Snowsport UK.
She served on the Turning Point Scotland Board prior to moving to the Highlands, and currently sits as an adviser on the Citizens Advice Bureau Board where she is a volunteer.
Elaine Burlingham
eburlingham@aviemoresportscentre.com
Elaine Burlingham moved to Aviemore 3 years ago to run a Guest House with her partner Richard. They have 2 dogs to keep them busy, both rescued locally and great at making them go out in all weathers. Elaine’s background is Retail, joining Marks and Spencer after completing a Politics and History degree. She is passionate about the plans to bring a first class sporting facility to Aviemore for the local community and all its visitors. She joined the Sports Centre Committee to try to bring this about.
Duncan Swarbrick
dswarbrick@aviemoresportscentre.com
Duncan has lived in Aviemore for a number of years. Working as a lawyer in Inverness, Duncan brings his invaluable legal expertise to the Board table. As a family man, Duncan is keen to see the development of sporting facilities for young people of the area.
Rob Edmonds
redmonds@aviemoresportscentre.com
Rob Edmonds co-owns and manages the successful Mountain Spirit outdoor clothing shop in Aviemore with his wife Angela. Rob is passionate about sport and keen to bring that knowledge, as well as his business expertise, to help in the development of Aviemore Sports Centre.
Jim Cornfoot
jcornfoot@aviemoresportscentre.com
Jim Cornfoot currently works at CairnGorm Mountain as Land Manager and assists the Operations Manager during the ski season. He is a local to the Aviemore area and has great memories of when our community had two ice rinks. Jim feels the Community Sports Centre has the opportunity to once again underline Badenoch and Strathspey as a sporting destination, with benefits for both local communities and visitors alike. It is for this reason that he was happy to join the board in 2011 to help the project. Jim’s background is in Landscape Architecture, so he has a keen interest in design. He is passionate about winter sports and has been part of the CairnGorm Ski Patrol for 17 years. He enjoys a variety of outdoor sports and played shinty for many years, as well as football and fishing. He still makes the most of the wintry weather by skating on some of the local lochs when conditions allow.
