Archive image of the month – May

Para Olympic Team receive a cheque for £26,000 from the Lord Provost

Para Olympic team receiving cheque from Lord Provost in 1990

 

Courtesy of University of Dundee Archive Services

This photograph was taken in June 1990 in front of the former Tayside House in Crichton Street, Dundee. It shows the Lord Provost, Thomas Mitchell presenting a cheque from the Convener’s Charity Fund (Dundee City Council) for £26,000 to Strathmartine Hospital’s Special Olympic Team for the European Summer Special Olympic Games.

Many residents trained and took part in the Special Olympics. Strathmartine residents are well known for being competitive (the staff football team told us about broken bones from football!) and it is not surprising that competitors returned home with many medals. One Olympian won Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Very little was known about the hospitals connection to the Special Olympics. Thankfully, Lynda Murdach donated old hospital newsletters which had a story about the Olympians returning with lots of medals. This image was donated by former resident and project volunteer, Roddy. Roddy is standing at the far left of the group. The newsletters and photograph have been deposited with Dundee University Archive Services.