Hill End Outdoor Educational Centre accredited to British Orienteering’s Recognised Centre scheme delivered orienteering training for the Leisure Team at South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils. With more members of the Leisure Team trained to facilitate orienteering sessions, they were planning to introduce orienteering as part of their community sports programmes. Hill End Outdoor Educational Centre are grateful to Thames Valley Orienteering Club for updating their maps. Without their help none of the following would have been possible.
British Orienteering was contacted by Hendriette Knouwds, who coordinates sports and physical activities in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts. Hendriette was looking at ways to introduce orienteering to their local communities, especially the over 60’s living in rural areas, as part of their GO Active Gold project. She had 4 GO Active Gold rural activators plus one volunteer that she wanted to get trained via a Teaching Orienteering course. British Orienteering referred her to discuss this with Hill End Outdoor Educational Centre who had recently been accredited to the British Orienteering Recognised Centre scheme.
After training 8 Leisure Team members (including one volunteer), they delivered the following orienteering courses and events:
Hendriette Knouwds, South Oxfordshire Participation Coordinator, said: “We were so impressed with Hill End Educational Centre facilities and friendly helpful staff. The training day was so much fun and equipped our team with a deeper understanding of orienteering and how to introduce it to our communities. Since the training, we have literally engaged hundreds of new participants in orienteering. We are now looking forward to trying out new British Orienteering offers such as Sporteering next!”
Mandy Warwick at Hill End Outdoor Educational Centre, said: “The group used an outside provider but were able to use our orienteering facilities to help enhance their learning on the day. We provided the venue and our amazing outdoor space in which to practice their orienteering skills.”
Dan Riley, British Orienteering’s Lead on the Recognised Centre accredited scheme, said: “It was great to receive this enquiry from Hendriette about including orienteering in the GO Active Gold project located in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of the White Horses. Recognised Centres are well placed to be able to respond to commercial opportunities such as these and Hill End Centre has done an excellent job of responding to meeting the client’s needs as well as making an important contribution to raising the profile of orienteering amongst those involved in the project.”
Hill End Outdoor Educational Centre and other accredited centres are happy to provide venues for all groups who would like to undertake orienteering training.
Address: Eynsham Road, Farmoor, Oxford, OX2 9NJ
Contact: Mandy Warwick
Email Address: mandy.warwick@hill-end.org
Telephone: 01865 863510
There are 13 Recognised Centres across the UK with many more going through the process.