August 2004
Dear All,
I am now back home after a week in hospital for a leg operation.
Looks like no kayaking for a few weeks. For those of you who have
expressed interest in the North Wales courses from 23 to 28 August,
you will need to contact me next week for details. I am hoping that we
can still go ahead as planned, and it is likely that the other
Oakhanger leaders will lead the trips.
The Anglesey weekend will still continue as planned. There will be opportunity for 1 and 2 star tests and a 3 to 4 star trip (for your 3 star journey). If you wish to take the 3 star test see Malcolm when you arrive.
The campsite is at Tyn Rhos, Ravenspoint Road, Trearddur Bay, Anglesey. Follow the A55 from Chester to Holyhead. At Holyhead turn left on the B4545 to Trearddur Bay. Ravenspoint Road is 1st right after the main beach Car Park in Trearddur. The camp site is at the end of Ravenspoint Road. Once on the campsite, pass the club house on you left, and then turn right at the shop and showers. We will be just past the children's play area. Register with Paul Bushill or Graham Lamb on arrival.
Thanks to Graham Lamb for coordinating activities whilst I have been out of action. Also to all those who gave support. I hear the Activity Day on Sunday 8 August was a great success.
The next Activity Day will be on Sunday 19 September from 1030 to 1530. The day will be linked with the "Step into Cheshire" health initiative. There will be a cross country course from Oakhanger finishing with a "hands on experience" at the Methodist Museum at Englesea Brook.
Volunteers are required to help with the following during August
Drivers - to transport kayak and outdoor equipment (must be over 22, and hold full driving licence)
Activity Courses - helpers to assist with day and half day acivity courses
Kayak courses - kayak coaches from BCU level 1 to level 3.
Please contact me if you are able to help. In particular we need drivers on 18/19 August, 23 to 27 August and 1/2 September. Also kayak coaches for 23 -27 August and 1 - 2 September
With Best Wishes to you and yours,
Graham
[G. Bushill, Oak Challenge]
June/July 2004
Dear All,
We will be joining the BCU River Dee Tour on Sunday 13 June. Meet at
Oakhanger at 0730 to sort out kit ready for a 0800 departure. The Tour
starts at
Farndon and finishes at Chester, a distance of 12 miles. You also have the
option of joining the group at Eccleston, and paddle the final 4 miles to Chester.
The tour finishes with an Access rally in Chester at 1530. We plan to be
back at Oakhanger by 1730. Let me know if you are interested.
I am running a Canoe Safety Course on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July. You will need to have the 2 star Award. Places are limited so let me know as soon as possible.
For those going on the Beddgelert weekend on 18 to 20 June, activities will include walking, mountain biking, horse riding, gorge walk, kayaking and the unmissable Barbecue on Saturday evening. Don't forget to bring your contribution to the Talent Show on Saturday evening!! If you wish to do 3 star kayak training or assesment on the weekend let me know by 16 June so that I can plan the programme.
Oakhanger Project are planning a Barbeque from 7-00 pm on Saturday 24 July. The cost is £3.50 including food and games. Proceeds are to support overseas projects. Come and join us for a great evening.
I am planning 2 or 3 (or maybe more) days kayaking in North Wales during the week 28 August to 3 September. This will include river trips (dependent upon water levels) at Llangollen and Capel Curig and sea trips at Colwyn Bay/Llandudno, or on Anglesey. There will be at least one full day sea journey. Let me know if you are interested in one or more days so that I can plan a programme to suit ability levels.
The next Oakhanger Activity Day is at Oakhanger on Sunday 27 June from 1130 to 1530. Come and join the fun and games for all ages - try your hand at something different. This will be followed by the village Strawberry Tea at 1730. Why not enjoy a walk in the South Cheshire countryside and join us for tea afterwards? This will be followed at 1830 by a short service led by the Haslington worship group to complete the day.
Have a healthy and active summer,
Graham.
May 2004
Dear All,
Hi again and I hope you are all getting into the summer spirit and enjoying the new life that we see
all around as spring gives way to summer. At Oakhanger we are still waiting for the weather to warm up
a bit more, and are still experiencing some cold evenings. I am finding it more difficult to keep warm
having spent an enjoyable 10 days in the Bahamas with temperatures of 70 plus.
Speaking of the Bahamas, thanks to Ed and Erika in Grand Bahama for their hospitality . It was good to meet the team from Grand Bahama Nature Tours and to share coaching skills. Congratulations to all who achieved 2 star awards. I hope to return in October/November to complete 3 star and Canoe Safety Awards. Also thanks to Theo and Tamara for allowing me to be one of the family in Crown Haven. Plans are under way to return to Crown Haven, Abaco in October or November to run an Oakhanger Activity program with the young people of the village. Crown Haven is a small fishing village at the northern end of Abaco. An idyllic place with opportunity for the kayak and walking enthusiast. We are looking to take a team to kayak from Grand Bahama to Abaco and lead an adventure program with the young people of Crown Haven. Graham Lamb will be co-ordinating the organisation of this trip. Contact Graham for details.
Graham is also organisating a BBQ on Saturday 24 July at Oakhanger. The evening starts at 1900 hours and proceeds are to help support our work with Overseas activity programmes.
Last May Brian visited the Spirit Euxin Activity Centre in Romania with Christian Outdoor Network (CON) ministries, to assist with coaching kayak skills. His recent talk and slide show on the work provided an interesting evening during the last Oakhanger Study programme. Brian is available to visit groups and churches to talk about the work of CON outdoor ministries in Romania and other areas. You can contact Brian through our main address.
Finally, we wecome John and Clare Wadsworth to our mailing list, and wish them well in their work in setting up an activity centre in China.
What's Happening Now ?
Activity Adventure and Kayak Courses are now underway with a number of voluntary and community groups. Helpers are needed for evenings and daytime in school holidays.
We are running a number of staff training events to update staff responsible for activities on current skills and proceedures. Why not join us to learn the practical and organisational skills which are involved in the range of activities we operate. Contact me for further information. I would like to see a team of junior leaders engaged in supporting and organising activity programmes. We still need staff for some of the summer holiday activities.
Dates for your Diary
Saturday 29 May - Capernwray Hall Open Day - 1400 to 1700 hrs.
Thursday 3 June - Activity Day at Brereton (kayaking, orienteering, games, etc) - 1100 to 1500 hrs.
Friday 18 to Sunday 20 June - Camping weekend at Beddgelert, North Wales
Saturday 26 June - Activity Day at Brereton with CLASP
Sunday 27 June - Activity Day at Oakhanger from 1100 to 1500 hours
Sunday 27 June - Strawberry Tea at Oakhanger from 1700 to 1830 (followed by "Songs of Praise" with
the Haslington Music group). Why not join us for the full day of FUN - FOOD - FELLOWSHIP.
Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July - Canoe Safety Course - details from Graham Bushill
Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 July - BCU Level 2 Training Course - details from Graham Bushill
Saturday 24 July - Barbecue at Oakhanger - in aid of Overseas programmes.
Friday 13 to Sunday 15 August - Camping weekend at Treaddur Bay, Anglesey, N. Wales.
5 to 10 September Walking in Scotland (contact Brian for details)
Friday 22 to Monday 25 October - Woolacombe weekend
Booked your 2004 hoidays yet? We are able to offer 2 to 7 nights self catering accommodation for 2 people at Prestatyn, N. Wales from 28 August to 4 September, in Norfolk for 2 -4 people from 11 to 18 September, and in Kissimmee, Florida for 4 or 8 people, from 2 to 9 October and for 4, 6 or 10 people from 9 to 16 October. Contact me for further details.
I look forward to hearing and meeting as many of you as possible during the year.
With my thoughts and Best Wishes,
Graham
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April 2004
Dear All,
I trust you all had a great Easter, with time to eat those Easter Eggs. Also to give
thoughts for the many who are not able to share the same freedom that we have - to live, or to eat or
to worship openly.
The sunrise service on the green in Alsager on Easter Sunday reminded me again of the true message of Easter - the responsibility we all have to actively spread the peace and reconciliation of God's Love across the world. We are more aware than ever of the need for people to forget their differences and work together to heal divisions to build a stable world for the benefit of future generations.
I will be leading an Training and Induction course in May and June for the benefit of leaders and assistant leaders with the Oakhanger programmes. The first session will be at Oakhanger on Tuesday 11 May 2004. Please contact me by 30 April if you wish to attend.
There will be an activity day at Oakhanger on Sunday 16 May from 1030 to 1530. Bring sandwiches, and drinks will be provided. Details from me, or Graham Lamb.
Following the success of the school holiday programme at Sandbach Baths, we will commence a programme of outdoor activities during the spring and summer holidays. Details will be sent out at the beginning of May. Thanks to the Central Cheshire Primary Care Trust we have been granted £167 from the Small Grants Fund towards the summer programme.
Anyone wanting to do kayak level 2 coach assessment or training let me know as soon as possible. Courses are available in May and June. I will also be running kayak star awards and canoe safety training and assesment during the summer for individuals and groups.
That's all for now! Don't forget the summer camps at Beddgelert on 18 - 20th June and Anglesey on 13 - 15th August.
Have a refreshing summer, and enjoy the outdoors.
Best Wishes, Graham
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March 2004
Dear All,
Just a quick update as I have not written for a while. Plans for the Outdoor Show are on schedule. We also have
the new Oakhanger Brochures and you should receive your copy in the next 2 weeks. If your copy does not
arrive by 2nd April please contact me to let me know. The brochure will have dates of this year's programme
so that you can fill your diaries!!
Isles of Scilly You will notice that the Isles of Scilly trip for this year is planned over 10 days from 25 May to 3 June. Travelling by ferry on Tuesday or Thursday is £20 cheaper than other days, and this provides the opportunity for an 8 day trip from 25 May to 1 June, or a 6 or 8 day tour from 27 May to 1 or 3 June. The second week covers part of the school holidays so is convenient for families with children.
Bahamas The planned Bahama trip in April has been postponed until October. I shall be leading a tour to Kissimmee, Florida from 2nd to 9th, and 9th to 16th October, and then 7 days in the Bahamas from 17 to 24 October.
Kayak Pool Training For those near enough to attend the next Pool training session will be on Thursday 8 April 2004 at Sandbach Baths.
Look forward to hearing from you soon.
With Best Wishes for an Active summer, Graham
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September 2003
As we near the end of the summer season we are grateful for a really fantastic year. The Outdoor Show in March was a new venture for Oakhanger Project and has opened our horizons and widened our vision for the future, as well as providing new contacts. We have booked a Stand at the Outdoor Show at Birmingham NEC from 2 to 4 April 2004. Do visit us. We are also looking for sponsors to support publicity at Shows and Events. Any ideas?
The Managemnent Committe have been very busy restructuring the organisation and policies - a tedious but necessary task. Rewards have included a Grant of £7000 from Cheshire County Council Network Fund and £800 from Crewe and Nantwich to develop programmes for families and young people who would otherwise be excluded from outdoor and adventure activities. Give thanks, and pray that we may use this money wisely and to the benefit of as many as possible.
Graham has been busy with kayak courses with local groups as well as in North Wales and on Windermere with Capernwray Summer programme. Courses have included 1, 2 and 3 star Certificates and 2 Canoe Safety Courses. Next year we will be offering Level 1 and 2 Coaching Courses. Keep an eye on this web site for details.
The Isles of Scilly Trip in May was enjoyed by all despite (for some) a rough ferry crossing from Penzance. The winds stayed around Force 5-6 all week but did not prevent us kayaking to Tresco to visit the Abbey Gardens, where other group members joined us by ferry boat. Food and Fellowship on the islands was its usual excellent level. Next year we are planning to be on St Mary's from 20 May to 1 June. Why not visit for all or part of that time?
If you live within reach of S. Cheshire a pool training session is available on Thursday 30 October. A chance to learn/improve you support and rolls! Contact Graham for details.
Thanks to Dan for the great work in providing a regular Prayer letter. If you do not receive a copy and wish to be added to the mailing please eMAIL Dan
Other activities have included walks on Snowdon, Scafell, Kinder Scout and in the Macclesfield Forest as well as North Wales. The Adventure Outreach Programme continues to be popular and will be extended in the next 12 months.
Provisional dates for next year's weekends are 18-20 June 2004 Beddgelert, N. Wales and 13-15 August 2004 in Trearddur Bay, Anglesey.
The Oakhanger Christmas Celebration will be on Monday 15 December. A warm welcome plus food is assured if you are able to attend.
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