Region’s sporting clubs mourn Bill Ogilvie MBE
North East golf, athletics and cricket lost a real stalwart with the death of Bill Ogilvie at the age of 87.
Born into a mining family in Ashington, Northumberland he was involved in many aspects of local sport and took on roles including athletics coaching, becoming a founding member of Wansbeck Citizens Advice Bureau, sitting on the selection committee for magistrates, being a school governor and working for the National Playing Fields Association.
He was twice captain of Newbiggin Golf Club – in 1978 and 1995 – and was also club president for five years.
He served on the club committee for 20 years and was chairman of the handicap committee for 10 years. He was prominent in driving the centenary celebrations of the golf club in 1984 and also produced the quarterly newsletter for over 20 years – finishing in 2015 due to ill health.
Bill was chairman of Bomarsund Cricket Club, where he also coached junior cricketers.
He was a senior social welfare officer for the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation until his retirement in 1989 and worked with miners who were disabled or approaching retirement. In 2013 Bill was appointed MBE for services to sport and the community in south east Northumberland and received the honour from Prince William at Buckingham Palace.
Another one of his proudest moments was being nominated to run with the Olympic torch in June 2012.
Bill is survived by daughters Helen, Alison and Gillian, and grandchildren Hannah, Matthew, Joe and Eve.
