AUTUMN 08 BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS Welcome to AND BRITISH RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS 2009 We apologise to competitors that the date of the 2009 British Championships has had to be moved to the weekend of the 28 February/1 March 2009 from the original date 14/15 March Well a lot has happened since the last edition of Focus, including Graham, Jamie 2009. Although agreement had been reached and Jon becoming World Champions - congratulations! As you are all aware this is with the Forestry Commission for the original a fantastic achievement and testimony to the hard work and dedication that all our dates, an external environmental body had athletes and support team have contributed. raised concerns to the Forestry Commission about potential damage to wildlife if the event Gareth Candy and Phil Burdge (Digisport) did an excellent job with the website went ahead at this time. Negotiations with the reports and photos and we received lots of positive feedback from our members. Full Forestry Commission indicated that they would reports and an interview with the World Champions can be found inside this edition. rescind the agreement as is allowed by the contract. Please send any articles or news to [email protected] Since receiving this news, lengthy negotiations Caroline Povey have been conducted with the Forestry Marketing Manager Commission, land owners and British Orienteering (Events Committee and Major Events Group) to determine the best alternative for the event and to obtain new permissions and permits. Options to move the event to another region, another area within South Central or to 2009 Membership Renewals another time of the year were all considered. Enclosed with this edition of Focus is your membership renewal form. Please However, using the current area at the end of check that the details are correct. Any changes should be made either on the February was considered the most viable choice. renewal form, online in the members section or by contacting the National Office. We regret the difficulties this will cause other You must renew by Monday 12th December to ensure you receive your new event organisers who had planned to use the selected dates or dates nearby. membership card by the 1st January 2009. There are now three methods of renewing your membership: We realise that some competitors may already have paid deposits for accommodation and travel tickets for the original date. We deeply regret that the decision to change the date has been brought about by circumstances completely beyond our control and for any inconvenience caused to competitors by this situation. Competitors who have paid in advance for accommodation or travel are recommended to consult the cancellation section of their travel or accommodation agreement and try to seek to renegotiate those contracts or seek recompense from their travel insurance, home insurance or credit card insurance. Students Membership If you are currently a full time student, you are able to renew your membership at the junior rate. Please visit our website to find Direct Debit out the correct fee and return your amended If you currently renew by Direct Debit, Online renewal form with evidence of your full time please notify the National Office of any You are now able to renew your student status to the National office. alterations to your membership details by membership online. To do so just visit our Friday 14th November 2008. We will use the website and log in with your username Membership Card bank details that you have already provided and password which has been sent If you renew your membership by Monday to debit your account by the amount shown out previously. If you have mislaid or 12th December your card will be distributed on the renewal notice on or around the 26th forgotten any of your login details please with the Winter edition of Focus in late November 2008. contact the National Office. December. If you renew after this date we cannot guarantee that you will receive your Cheque Remember card by the 1st January 2009. If you do not currently renew by direct debit, To receive your card by the New Year you your renewal form and cheque should be must renew by Monday 12th December Nicole Mckenna returned by Monday 12th December 2008 2008. Membership Secretary to the National Office. [email protected] OrienteeringMore People, Focus More Places,- Summer More 2007 Podiums (MP3) Chief Executive’s working on their portfolio’s of evidence Training, open to staff, Board members and • Ensure Talent Identification and required to complete the accreditation Chairmen of committees has taken place and Development pathways are developed process raised awareness of the issues that British and agreed, and activities in all areas • All of the numerous Coaching materials Orienteering face. A subsequent staff meeting are increasingly aligned to reflect the and the new British Orienteering certificates has progressed this work into a series of approaches agreed have been redesigned and prepared ready actions that will be forming a part of our Whole • Make significant progress in developing Update for the role out of the UKCC Level 1 from Sport Plan. a Volunteer Strategy and commence September 2008 implementation by end of 2008 • Work has commenced on the UKCC Level Chief Executive Role and Objectives Since the last publication of Focus a large part of the staff 2 award and the resource materials required The Board agreed the list of tasks and Sport Councils workload has been to move forward the Whole Sport Plan activities that will be a priority for the next year: The Whole Sport Plan is now in ‘Consultation Website • Gain wide acceptance to the Whole Sport Draft’ and has been discussed with a variety of 2009-201. Whilst sections of the Whole Sport Plan impacts Work has continued on the Events Section of Plan as finally adopted and drive forward its our partners. significantly on the bids we make for funding to UK Sport and the site and this is currently being tested ready implementation for the role out at the beginning of 2009. • Develop and gain approval for the 2009 We are, as yet, uncertain about how the the home nations sports councils the Plan is an opportunity for Preparations have been made ready for the budget by October 2008; this will need to relationship between British Orienteering and orienteering to agree how the vision for the sport is going to new membership year to commence from 1st take account of possible funding reductions UK Sport will develop as they become entirely September and we hope that there will be a • Assist the Chairman to embed and focused on London 2012. be delivered. Further information about the Plan can be found seamless transition from membership year streamline Board operation and get 2008 to 2009. authority and responsibility clearly delegated Sport England has agreed its Public Service in this edition and on the British Orienteering website. to the appropriate level in the volunteer Agreement with the Government and we Modifications have been made to the web site committee/group structure know that their strategic direction is to ‘Grow in order to prepare for the role out of some – Sustain – Excel’ this fits well with the British World Championships A paper recommending the employment of The Development Committee has been • Work with the Board to enhance our liaison e-learning courses for volunteers to use. and communication with Associations, Orienteering vision and strategic direction. Congratulations to the Men’s Relay team an Events Manager to support the work of the reformed and held its first meeting under the These courses will be established during 2009 Clubs and the members in general An ‘Engagement Team’ has been allocated who won a fantastic Gold Medal at the World Major Events Group and events in general has new brief in June. There was a good mixture and will enable volunteers to gain knowledge • Continue to develop and enhance the to British Orienteering and 4 or 5 staff have Orienteering Championships. Jamie, Jon and been received and will be considered in the of members present at the meeting with about a series of activities which, over time, relationship with the Sports Councils to met several times with Mihir Warty and Simon Graham’s performances in the event were context of the Whole Sport Plan at the next most regions represented. The Development will include coaching, organising, mapping, reduce the likelihood of grant reductions Macqueen from Sport England. The meetings outstanding and brought home the Gold for Board meeting in October. Committee is responsible for advising and planning and controlling as well as some of the • Explore and develop external income have established the background, baseline the first time ever. Well done also to the team guiding the Board on strategies to: roles required by the well organised club such streams in trading and sponsorship for orienteering in England and the timescales that supported this fantastic achievement Finance • Increase participation and recruit and retain as Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Volunteer • Work with Junior Competition Group and leading up to the submission for funding in and particularly to Dave Peel who coached The Board have responsibility for overseeing membership of British Orienteering across Coordinator, Child Welfare Officer etc. This is others to ensure new 2009 levy system September. We have met with or made similar the team and Derek Allison who planned the the financial situation of British Orienteering the age classes a long term project but the volunteer learning operates smoothly offers to meet with the Sports Councils of the programme. and the risks involved. At the July meeting • Promote and market the sport of management system will enable us to support • Develop and gain Board approval for other Home Nations to support the work in of the Board a considerable amount of time orienteering people with home learning and mentoring at those regions.