Pendle Forest Orienteers Deliver Successful School Project

By Kay Hawke member of Pendle Forest Orienteers and who was instrumental in setting up the project with the local School Sports Coordinator.

Kay Hawke explains: 

“To encourage a move into the sport, Pendle Forest Orienteers (PFO) joined with Rossendale School Sports Partnership to provide an online Orienteering competition available to all school children in Rossendale. In addition to this the age categories were extended to include ages up to 50years +. Two courses were established in park area and recreational grounds in the local area with short and long courses on both. The shorter courses were aimed at newcomers to the sport and younger children, with the longer courses for people who may have experienced the sport before.

The sport is a brilliant way to encourage socially distanced exercise in well spaced areas and the leading sport to be used in future PE lessons which will be restricted due to government guidance on school sport.

Rossendale School Sports Partnership and PFO advertised this across social media channels and directly to schools for them to use as part of their distanced learning P.E curriculum. There was a 'dummy' sheet produced for people detailing how to download and use the Maprunf App which accompanied the promotion.