British Orienteering are delighted to announce the 2022 Club of the Year has been awarded to Swansea Bay Orienteering Club.

As well as celebrating the work clubs do with regard to supporting the progression and development of members, the Club of the Year Award looks at how clubs are looking to build through the management of volunteers and partnerships outside of the club.

Swansea Bay Orienteering Club

In 2022 Swansea Bay Orienteering Club celebrated their 50th Anniversary. They used this to initiate an ambitious plan to ensure SBOC and the sport has a future in Southwest Wales. They recognised this is going to be a real challenge in view of the state of Orienteering in Wales following Covid.

They developed a club vision: SBOC would be a top-quality orienteering club which warmly welcomes and caters for all ages and abilities. 
Alongside this, they developed seven strategic objectives that covered: providing quality events for all; expanding membership and participation; retaining and developing juniors; supporting members to achieve their potential; foster inclusive club environment; ensuring orienteering is sustained in SW Wales; being a valued partner to groups and organisations in their area.

By recruiting a Club Development Officer to “create a foundation for the future” they have witnessed a significant difference to what they do and their engagement with wider community and partners.

The club held 45 events including, local, regional, urban, sprints, night and MapRun formats.  In 2022, they hosted the JK Sprint with fabulous feedback on the planning and organisation and over 50 members volunteering. They have also established relationships with Outdoor Partnership, Swansea Park Lives, Council Active Youth Team, Penllergare Trust and Sport Wales.

To support member development and encourage newcomers they have held 31 activities with coaching, fitness and technique practice. Midweek classroom sessions are held on planning, organising, map-making and use of technology. Engaging the younger generation is key to their development and the Club committee has six members (half of which are under the age of 30).

The SBOC Seren Awards are a personal performance award scheme aimed at encouraging and recognising skills development. The scheme has 6 levels which will develop orienteering skills in a structured and progressive format and is a great way for juniors to keep track of how they're progressing as an orienteer. Such is the success of the scheme, that WOA have now adopted it.

In order to keep their volunteers engaged and feel valued, they provide vouchers, subsidising club kit and the club dinner. They also subsidise Club jackets to encourage a feeling of pride in being a member and have a better whole club experience.

Huge congratulations go to Swansea Bay Orienteering Club for their fantastic achievements. You can learn more about the club on their website.