In the Spotlight... Silva Award (significant services over years to ‘field’ activities)

Today British Orienteering is proud to shine the spotlight on...

British Orienteering Silva Award (for significant services over the years to ‘field’ activities) Award Winner and runners-up. 

This award recognises the significant contribution of a person or persons to orienteering through ‘field’ activities over a number of years rather than committee work. 

Congratulations to Hilary Palmer (Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club) for winning this award.  

Hilary is firstly a coach.  She has been the East Midlands Coaching coordinator for 30 years, ran the regional junior squad for 15 years, and took the British Orienteering training camp to Mysen in 1995.  She has regularly organised sessions for Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club juniors and ran school teams in both primary and secondary schools.  She continues to coach Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club members to this day.  Hilary has supported the British Orienteering Coaching qualifications through all its changes over the past 25 years being both a coach educator and assessor, as well as supporting the staff at the office with queries about coaching.  She has been at the forefront of coaching development overall throughout this time.  

Hilary has been involved in many other aspects of club activity, for example, back in the 90’s she organised the annual club camping trip to White Rose for several years, the junior versus adult cricket match will be remembered by many. 

When Community Club development was promoted by British Orienteering Hilary took on running a club night in Rushcliffe County Park and several new members joined the club. 

As a planner, Hilary has planned at all levels of events, from a Robin Hood trophy event in her early days of planning but is now more likely to be seen planning and organising level D events to help attract newcomers.  She was instrumental in setting up a group of Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club members to run the “Explore the Parks” initiative in 2017 and is very proficient at advertising on Facebook to promote the activity.  

Hilary is a qualified Organiser, over the years she organised at every level and still takes on organising at Level A events, like the recent Midlands Championships. 

As a qualified controller, she has controlled numerous Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club events and is always happy to mentor new planners. She has run Organiser courses and Event Safety workshops to ensure not only Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club members but East Midlands Orienteering Association members have the opportunity to attend fun and informative learning.  

The club has had helper groups for the key volunteer roles for many years, Hilary has been a key member of the Start team, taking over the coordination of the team when the previous team leader retired. 

Hilary was instrumental in getting Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club restarted early after the first lockdown, putting on the three first events under the Covid arrangements.  

All of this whilst still competing at the highest level in her age class, being a role model to all in the club. 

Congratulations Hilary! 

Other amazing volunteers whose efforts have been drawn to our attention and are greatly valued are...  

Nick Barrable (South Yorkshire Orienteers) has been involved over the years in long-term coaching activities and summer tour organisation. Coaching at least since 1997 encouraging others to develop skills and progress in their orienteering and into coaching roles.  

Nick has had a big influence on the promotion of orienteering through CompassSport magazine.  

As well as competing in inter-club competitions, Nick has represented GB at international level.  

Overall, Nick is a great ambassador for the sport. 

Roger and Judy Craddock (Quantock Orienteers) have been members of Quantock Orienteers for over 20 years and in 2008 they set up the Junior Orienteering Group (JOG) to build on the successful school activities of previous years.  Every Saturday in Autumn and Spring terms for the last fourteen years the Craddocks have single handily organised junior training activities.  They have given their time, energy, and resources to ensure youngsters have every possible opportunity to gain experience of this wonderful sport.  It is their enthusiasm, knowledge, and ability to share that has kept youngsters and adults coming back for more, year after year.  The success of this initiative is reflected in its durability, and it is recognised by many other clubs as a successful model to introduce newcomers, particularly youngsters and families, to the sport. 

This ongoing commitment is in addition to their ‘normal’ club duties.  Roger has continuously been a club official since 2004 (Chairman twice, Treasurer once, and now President). Not to be outdone, Judy has since 2008, been Membership Secretary (twice) and Fixtures Secretary. 

Without a doubt, they are both a credit to our club and to the hands-on development of British Orienteering. 

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Pete Tryner (South Yorkshire Orienteers) plays a hugely pivotal role within South Yorkshire Orienteers and the sport of orienteering.  His involvement in the sport has spanned more than 30 years encompassing coaching, planning, organising, development, and mapping. 

South Yorkshire Orienteers is a large club with a hugely active volunteer force but, undoubtedly, Pete makes the most significant volunteering contribution to our club’s huge success.  He cares passionately about the future of the sport and devotes hours of time each week to help develop orienteering in South Yorkshire and beyond!  In recent years Pete has mentored new planners and delivered workshops on planning, condes, and SI. He is always incredibly patient and is highly encouraging in his feedback to adults and juniors alike. 

Pete’s volunteering covers all aspects of the sport. He is an excellent coach, leading and delivering Yorkshire Squad and South Yorkshire Orienteers coaching sessions.  His success in this role is evidenced by the excellent achievements of South Yorkshire Orienteers club members at major events! Recently he has taken on the new role of lead coach for the Northern Talent Squad, delivering and managing the coaching at four weekends for 18 of our best juniors. 

Pete is a highly accomplished mapper and is always on hand to update maps for forthcoming South Yorkshire Orienteers events, whatever the area.  

Perhaps Pete’s biggest contribution to the club is the launch of the hugely successful South Yorkshire Orienteers Saturday Series.  Thousands of Sheffield children and their families have enjoyed orienteering because of this series of events and it continues to go from strength to strength with the club now attracting a large number of adult newcomers.  

Pete is also highly innovative and is always looking for new ways to do things or ways we can improve as a club.  

(Unfortunately, a photo of Pete has not been submitted).

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Thank you to all who submitted nominations for British Orienteering's Annual Awards this year. 

Many congratulations all!

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British Orienteering looks forward to continuing with this 'In the Spotlight' online celebration tomorrow with the following...

The winner and runners-up of The Walsh Trophy at 10:00 tomorrow morning (Thursday 21 April). 

Tomorrow afternoon, British Orienteering will be shining the spotlight on the winner and runners-up of The Bonington Trophy at 14:00.