This Saturday (11^thFebruary) Orienteering will be a feature on Sky Sports News from 7am as part of their ‘Get Involved’ programme. The programme aims to provide information on how to get involved in different sports and also highlight sports with less media coverage.

Filming took place last week at the Manchester and District Orienteering Club Night in Hazel Grove and also at the Regional Event at Concorde Chase near Farnborough. As well as footage of Orienteering taking place the crew from Sky Sports conducted interviews and provided information on British Orienteering’s clubs, events and activities.

More information can be found here

Steve Vernon, Participation Manager

Why not enter the British Orienteering Club of the Year Competition?

• Is your club an important part of the local community?

• Providing opportunities for everyone to experience high quality activities at all levels of your sport or recreation?

• Demonstrating a commitment to the development of participants as well as coaches and volunteers?

• Taking an innovative approach to the promotion of the club?

If the answer is “Yes” then you should enter the Club of the Year Award.

Submissions should be sent to enicholas@britishorienteering.org.uk and the closing date is Monday 27^th February.  The award will be made at the 2012 AGM.

Nomination Forms can be found here.  

Edward Nicholas, Development Manager

There will be 3 Director vacancies open for election at the AGM held in 2012. Philip Baxter, Henry Morgan and John Woodall have reached the end of their appointment period. They will therefore, in line with the Articles, be stepping down although may choose to stand for re-election.  

As Mike Forrest has recently been appointed Events and Competitions Chair, he will be stepping down after concluding his duties as Treasurer at the AGM in 2012. Subsequently, the vacancy caused by his departure will not be available for election until the AGM in 2013. In the meantime, the Board will be able to co-opt a director if appropriate, until the AGM in 2013, to fill Mike’s place.

The Board will need to appoint a Treasurer, from within the directors, after the 2012 AGM.

The deadline for nominations for candidates for the Director elections at the AGM in 2012 is Thursday 16^th February 2012. The nomination must be signed by two voting members of British Orienteering as proposer and seconder.

Nominations should be emailed to Mike Hamilton.

The role of Director includes taking part in induction training, attending about six Board meetings a year and, from time to time, to take part in other working groups. The role is voluntary and unpaid, but Directors will have all reasonable expenses reimbursed.

The Board of Directors is responsible for developing policy and strategy.  The work entails thinking about where British Orienteering is heading and how it will get there; keeping as far as possible in close touch with members, clubs and Associations’ views. The work is challenging but rewarding, and offers the chance to help shape the future of orienteering in the UK.

The current directors of British Orienteering have conducted a skill and knowledge audit. A number of skills featured frequently amongst current Directors, including administration, strategic planning and training, governance, IT and management.

Some skills required for the Board to operate effectively featured less frequently; marketing, commercial, legal, disability awareness, diversity & equality awareness. The Board would like to see members with such experiences put forward as perspective candidates as they would bring experience to strengthen the overall skill set of the Board of Directors. The Board would also ask members to consider nominating women as candidates and any younger members that would like to be involved so that our membership base is full represented.

If you would like to discuss being a Director, please contact Mike Hamilton, Chief Executive at the National Office on 01629 734042.

Proposals for submission to the AGM must be received in writing at the National Office at least 50 clear days before the meeting that is, by Thursday 16^th February 2012, signed by two voting members of British Orienteering as proposer and seconder.

Item posted by Caroline Povey

Dartford Orienteering Klubb (DFOK) are pleased to announce the successful launch of their weekly club night ‘Bexley Orienteering and Fitness’.  Lead Coach Rachel Collins and her assistant Allison Page are on hand to welcome newcomers, club members and visitors to their school venue at Townley Grammar School, Bexleyheath from 7.15 until 8.15 pm on Monday evenings.  The aim, with the support of club members and Pro-Active East London, is to coach key navigation skills, improve fitness levels and signpost both DFOK and neighbouring club events in the South East.  Further details are available here.  

Richard Barrett, Participation Manager (South)

I am pleased to announce that Buff are generously supporting the 2012 Jk and the 2012 British Championships. Buff are providing customised Buffs for the events which will be a great prize and memento.

Buff have an excellent range of products to suit all ages. Please take a look at their website.

Item posted by Caroline Povey

British Orienteering has now launched two new incentives schemes; The Navigation Challenge and the Racing Challenge. The incentive schemes have been devised by the Development Committee and will run alongside the existing Badge and Championship Scheme. The new incentive schemes are aimed at newcomers.

The Navigation Challenge:

Members will be able to claim a Navigation Challenge certificate after successfully completing 3 colour coded courses at the same Technical Difficulty (TD) standard. The Incentive schemes will be ‘star’ based e.g. 1 star for TD 1 up to 5 Star for TD 5.  

The Racing Challenge

Members will be eligible for a Racing Challenge certificate after successfully completing 3 colour coded courses (of the same TD) within the following times:

• Gold Award. Participants time < Course Length (KM) x 12.5mins
• Silver Award. Participants time < Course Length (KM) x 15mins
• Bronze Award. Participants time < Course Length (KM) x 20mins

Receiving your Certificate

The results uploaded into the British Orienteering website will determine when a participant has completed a course. When the system recognises that a member has completed three courses at the same TD standard and/or at the designated speed, the member will be eligible for a certificate. Results from 1 January 2012 will be eligible for the new incentives scheme, therefore it is unlikely that any member has achieved the desired results at this time.

The certificates will be automated and be made available for the member to download and print via the member login on the website. If we hold the email address of the member they will be automatically notified.

Club Chairs and Club Membership Secretaries will also be able to download a report via their member login to see who in their club has successfully achieved a Navigation or Racing Challenge certificate and acknowledge their success as they deem appropriate.

Club Support

In order for the scheme to be a success, clubs will need to upload Level D events into the Results system. We appreciate that this is an added workload for already busy volunteers, so we are happy for Clubs to nominate additional people to have access to the Results system.

If your Club would like to nominate additional Club Results Secretaries please email info@britishorienteering.org.ukor telephone 01629 734042.

Many thanks in anticipation of your support.

Feedback

If you have any questions about the scheme please email feedback@britishorienteering.org.uk

Caroline Povey, Marketing Manager on behalf of Development Committee