It’s with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Charlie Raeburn, founder of the Observatory for Sport in Scotland (OSS), who died October 2025, 80 years young.
Charlie Raeburn – Feb 2025
Having had the privilege of working alongside Charlie, we all witnessed first hand his extraordinary dedication to Scottish sport and community wellbeing. Charlie wasn’t just our founder—he was our guiding light, constantly challenging us to see the bigger picture.
Charlie was a true visionary, he saw connections that others missed. As a PE teacher and celebrated swimming coach, he understood that sport wasn’t just about creating champions (though he guided many to Olympic success). He saw how play could transform education, how community sport could strengthen community cohesion, how physical activity was the thread that could weave healthier communities together.
Charlie identified the crisis clearly: facility closures, shrinking budgets, reduced support for volunteers, declining participation. In response he founded OSS in 2016 because he believed policy should be driven by evidence, not guesswork. His international friendships, particularly in the Netherlands and Denmark, constantly pushed us to raise our ambitions.
Charlie was bright, caring, sharp, funny, and playful. His network spanned generations, built on genuine relationships across sport, education and politics.
As we prepare to honour his legacy by transforming OSS into the Raeburn Institute, we are committed to ensuring Charlie’s vision continues to guide us. His belief that everyone deserves access to community sport and play will remain at the heart of everything we do.
He will be sorely missed but we will do our best to ensure his vision lives on.
Mike Ross, Chair of The Observatory of Sport in Scotland
Thought Piece from Charlie Raeburn for Reform Scotland