Newsletter March 2010

 

N E W S L E T T E R
 

March 2010

 

WELL DONE DAVE!!!

 

Wasn’t it great to watch the winter Olympics knowing that one of our very own protégés was taking part. Unfortunately, the time difference between Canada and the UK was a nuisance, and the BBC really didn’t make much of an effort, in my opinion, to show us our very own athletes, but I would like to thank Dave and his family for so much enjoyment. 

I did wonder if Dave gave Pendle just a little thought when he battled down that slalom course in the mist and rain, don’t forget he spent week after week training in that stuff at our very own club. Obviously some of his fellow Olympic athletes could do with a season here; maybe we should send an invitation to Bode!!

 If you want to follow Dave’s progress why don’t you visit his very own website www.daverydingski.co.uk

 

BEHIND THE SCENES!  or – How your Club is run! 

 

My grateful thanks go to the “Silver Sliders” (those of us who are retired) who between them have done 175 extra skiing lessons this season. I mean, of course, Marlene and Howard Blakeley, Tony Robins, Roy Matthews, Roger Abrahams and Linda Chew. Lauren Elliott has been a great help too!

Pendle Ski Club has always done lessons for outside organisations, and we call this part of our work “Group Bookings”. There are three main parts to our work.

We have done lessons for schools for many years, and for the most part the lessons are before the children go on a skiing holiday. These schools include Bowland High School, Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, Priory Technology College – Preston, Moorland School – Clitheroe, Ermysted’s Grammar School – Skipton, St Bede’s High School – Lytham, St. Christopher’s High School – Accrington, and Lostock Hall High School in Preston. We have also given lessons as part of their curriculum to St. Augustine’s High School – Billington, and Stonyhurst College in Hurst Green. We have risen to the challenge this year provided by the Tutorial Unit in Preston. We have also just finished giving two lessons for thirty-two junior age children from Liverpool! They too are going on a skiing holiday! Watch our France!

Lottery Grants have given us the opportunity to give a 10 week session to 6 Pendle area High Schools per year for the past three years. The ten-week sessions have been enjoyed by pupils and instructors alike. Ten weeks gave us the opportunity to give the students a real chance to make progress. The schools involved were West Craven High School in Barnoldswick, and Marsden Heights College, Primet High School, Park High School, Pendle Vale College and Fisher-More High School all in Colne. The Lottery Grants also gave us the opportunity to work with three special schools. The students were delighted and made considerable progress. These schools were Pendle Community High School of Colne, and Ridgewood School and Sir John Thursby School from Burnley.

We also give lessons to scout and guide groups, and to youth organisations. These are usually on a Friday night, and this year for the first time we have added them to the Friday night lessons. We have given lessons to scout groups from Ormskirk, Barrowford, Nelson, Oswaldtwistle and Haslingden. We have given lessons for A.T.C. groups from Accrington and Longridge. We give lessons in the school holidays to groups of children from the Morecambe and Lancaster School Holiday Programme. We also give one lesson per year to a school from London – Mossbourne Academy. The boys are from a very poor part of London and stay in Clitheroe for the weekend and take part in a football tournament with local schools.

We, the instructors, thoroughly enjoy this part of our work. The serious point of this work is that it brings in quite a lot of money. Last year the income raised was about £30,000. This money goes back into the club. Our next project is to provide G.C.S.E. courses for schools. I’ll keep you posted about this one!

Helen Ashworth, Secretary and Level 2 Instructor

 

C L U B  N E W S

 

END OF SEASON CLOSURE

 

Well it’s here again; the end of season has almost arrived. The last day of skiing this season will be Wednesday 31st March 2010. However, the club will be closed for business on Sunday 28th March as the Club will be hosting an ESSKIA schools race.

We hope that you have all had an enjoyable season at Pendle and we look forward to seeing you all again in October.

We have had a good winter and season at Pendle, and we should count ourselves lucky that the credit crunch has not done too much damage; however, it has been noticeable that some sessions were a little quieter than usual. We must thank you all for your support, and hope to see you keen and ready for more punishment in October. Remember race training will continue over the summer; if you need any further information just ask.

If you are, like us, away this Easter enjoying the late snow, and have a great time.

 

PENDLE SKI CLUB NEWSLETTER

This is the first Newsletter sent by e-mail! Hopefully, it has reached all our members who are able to receive it electronically, otherwise, if you are a still a fan of the ‘postie’, then I hope that has worked successfully too.

We will have copies of the Newsletter at the club-house for a while to pick up if you still like the feel of print on paper, but please let us have your comments.

In fact, if you have anything interesting to tell us, maybe about your recent winter holidays or equipment you have bought, let us know, the Newsletter is for everyone.

 

SNOWTUBES AND SWISS BOBS

We are delighted to tell you that the Club has now taken delivery of a number of snow-tubes and swiss bobs which we intend to offer for public use. They are ideal for group activities, i.e. birthday parties, family get-togethers etc. These are ideally suited to children, but, take it from me they are great fun.

 
  

The Club has a successful record already of hosting skiing birthday parties, but the new equipment adds a bit more interest and fun for the children. If you would like to book a party, or just find out more, then please contact the club on 01200 425222. If there is no reply, please leave a message and we will get back to you. 

Of course, the parties require at lease two people to host them, and this is where we need your help. Our ski instructors will not be needed at these parties, but we will need members to help to run them for us. We will provide training, and any necessary CRB paperwork will be organised for you, vouchers for ski lessons will also be given.  So if you have a family skiing at Pendle regularly, then vouchers will come in very useful. If you want any more information please speak to any Duty Officer and they will get you started a.s.a.p.

 
 

 VOLUNTEERS FOR SUMMER

As usual the Club has plans to do more maintenance work over the summer months. The Committee has plans for a number of projects including renewal of 80 mats on the main slope. The bottom half of the misting system on the main slope is supplied with water from a pond which is in need of some serious TLC. You will have noticed piles of old matting which needs attention, i.e grading and removal, plus general tidying up, this includes grass cutting and painting fences, etc.  so if you can help, please do. We are hoping to continue e-mailing interested members with work party dates, etc., so please make sure we are aware of your interest and we have your details at the Club. We look forward to seeing you over the summer. Remember, for every two hours work, you will receive a voucher which you can use for a lesson when the season re-starts.

 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The annual general meeting for Pendle Ski Club will take place on the 12th May 2010. You will receive confirmation of this by post very soon, but please make every effort to be there. 

All members are welcome, and don’t forget this club belongs to you. If you would like to be involved in making decisions about how the money should be spent, or how the season should be organised then get involved, you will be made very welcome.

 

RACE SQUAD NEWS

 

Kaigan Witts, Bormio

Kaigan and Callum Witts recently represented Pendle Ski Club at the English Alpine Championships in Bormio Italy.  This was their first time competing on snow. Kaigan competed in Junior 1 category in the National Junior and FIS Slalom and Giant Slalom and Callum in Children 1 category in Slalom and GS. They both managed to finish all the runs and enjoyed their first experience of snow racing.

 

Callum Witts, Bormio

 

Results so far for the Pendle Races in the Winter Race Series

 

Pickles Team    Josef Huppach              1st place
                              Rob Holmes
                              Corrine Side

 

Pendle Puds       Dec Huppach                Joint 2nd
                              Callum Witts
                              Jonathan Eaves

 

Pendle Pasties Marcus Orrell                1st place
                              Mikey Knowles
                              Chris Corr 

WELL DONE KAIGAN!!!!

  

Just one more race to go!!

 

On form Kaigan Witts has been selected for the ISF (International Ski Federation) after competing at the World Schools Championships in Italy.

Mark Orrell, from Pendle Ski Club, along with Phil Elliott have been selected as North West Squad Managers, their aim is to find three teams to compete on behalf of their region in the Snowsport England Inter Regional Race at Gloucester.