Empire medal for Mark

FORMER Shetland gymnastics and trampoline coach Mark Wylie was presented with his British Empire Medal at a ceremony in Aberdeenshire at the weekend.

Wylie was awarded the BEM in the Queen’s New Year Honours list for services to sports development and charity work abroad.

He played a large part in founding local trampolining and gymnastics clubs in Shetland, and developed a large programme of pre-school activities at the Clickimin Leisure Complex where he worked for almost 30 years.

He was responsible for bringing various Olympians to Shetland including gymnast Beth Tweddle to help inspire youngsters.

In addition he has spent the past eight years organising fundraising events in Shetland in order for him to lead overseas volunteering projects in Zambia, Romania and Malawi.

Wylie moved to Aberdeenshire last July where he now works developing new children’s activities at the Garioch Sports Centre in Inverurie.

“I would like to thank everyone for their continued kind words and the many congratulations received, I’ve been completely overwhelmed be everyone’s comments back home in Shetland,” he said.