The TARAN has arrived!!!!!!

Went to North Wales to pick up the NEW TARAN from Mike Webb at Rockpool.  This is the boat I am going to use on our Around Britain 4 Britain venture next year.  The Taran on its maiden voyage handled very well on the North Devon coast, in large swells, surf landings and wow it is fast!!!!!

The workmanship is top quality and the finish immaculate, if your looking for a top quality, bespoke coloured boat that handles very well, visit the Rockpool website: http://rockpoolkayaks.com/

BCU/UKCC Level 3 Core Coach Training

Last weekend I had the pleasure of working on the new BCU/UKCC Level 3 Core Coach Training Programme based at the River Dart Country Park.  It was great to work alongside Pete Catterall and Adam Harmer from Plas y Brenin and share, discuss coaching at this level.

The cohort on the programme was a strong coaching group which represented the Southwest well.  Thank you to Roger Sell for hosting the first of the Level 3 Coach Courses which is run in partnership between Canoe England and Plas Y Brenin.

We will be looking at running more Level 3 Core Training Courses in the SW when there is a demand and also looking at an October date to run the discipline specific training and CPD modules.  Both will be advertised by myself, Plas y Brenin and Canoe England through there websites.

Wonderful weather in March

March has been another busy month and some wonderful weather.

The first part of the month was preparing and brushing up skills for some outdoor leaders heading towards their Walking Group Leader Award, based on Dartmoor.  I have also spent a lot of time in my sea boat training and using some new wing paddles from Lettmann, although I am very comfortable in calm conditions, if I am going to use these as the main propulsion for Around Britain next year, I need to spend more time with the wing blades in rough water.

The rest of the month I have been delivering BCU/UKCC Coach Education Programmes around the country working alongside some really creative and inspiring directors and tutors.  I have also been delivering moderation events for Canoe England and the British Canoe Union for Directors for the Level 1 award and White Water Safety & Rescue providers.

The Around Britain 4 Britain website has had a facelift with text donation capabilities and more information on the sponsors backing the event for 2013.  If you want to get involved, help out or sponsor the worthwhile causes visit: www.aroundbritain4britain.co.uk

Around Britain 4 Britain

http://www.aroundbritain4britain.co.uk/

Our venture for sea kayaking around Britain next year has really picked up pace, with a website, facebook and twitter launch.  Our new boats, Rockpool Taran's are being built and we are looking for other sponsors to support our three month trip covering 3000 miles. 

Please take a look and if you feel you could help out in any way, the team would really appreciate your support.

January & February - where did those months go!!!!!

The New Year arrived and before I knew it I am looking at the calendar for what is in store for me in March and April!!!!  Well the last two months have been busy ones, running courses for various companies, including BCU/UKCC Level 1 & 2 Coach Education Programmes, BCU Advanced White Water Safety & Rescue & 5 Star Inland combined courses.

I have also been busy with Canoe England attending meetings, running WWSR moderations and 4 star provider programmes.

A new boat has now been ordered for the Around Britain Paddle in 2013 with good friend Nick Arding.  The new sea kayak is a Rockpool Taran, the fastest in their fleet.  We cannot wait until Easter where we will be putting them through their paces.

What does lay ahead is some really great programmes i am involved in such as the Southwest BCU/UKCC Level 3 Programme, BCU/UKCC Level 1 Moderation events, QA/IV visits and a few weeks set aside for some more sea kayak adventures.

New Year & New Courses/Programmes

Happy New Year to you all and many thanks for support over a fantasic 2011 year 

2012 looks to be just as busy with some new courses and programmes:

New Coaching BLOG

I have started to put a new BLOG together which is aimed to share coaching, delivery & leadership concepts, over the next few months and beyond I will add to the BLOG, i hope you find it useful or even thought provoking: http://adventureeducationcoachingleadership.blogspot.com/


New Climbing Courses:

ICG now offering Mountain Leader Training Courses such as the Climbing Wall Award (CWA), Climbing Wall Leaders Award (CWLA), Single Pitch Award (SPA).  Additional to these, workshops and programmes are being offered such as lead climbing, self rescue and multi-pitch climbing.  See the website for more details. These courses are run by Nick Arding MIC.


Sea Kayaking Courses & Trips

We are also offering the following workshops and trip to the Isle of Arran in 2012

BCU Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning Course - 3rd March
Rough Water Handling Workshops
Expeditioning Skills
Surfing Skills

Isle of Arran 7th - 14th September 2012 (see website for more details)

BCU Courses - White Water & Coaching

BCU AWWSR  5 Star Inland Combined 20th - 23rd Feb
BCU Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning 3rd March NEW
BCU Advanced Inland Water Endoresment (Coaching) - 27th & 28th Feb NEW
BCU/UKCC Level 2 Training Coach Course 16th - 19th April

HSE First Aid Programmes

I am also offering outdoor, pracical first aid programmes, first aid at work & emergency first aid over the year which is recognised by both MLTE & BCU.

Hope some of the programmes or new BLOG catches your eye, for further information look at the website: http://www.internationalcoachingandguiding.co.uk/ or send me an email: i.c.g@live.co.uk

Coaching programmes, personal development and even time to play

I thought November was a busy month and then along came December.  Although I cannot complain, all the work has been really enjoyable.  Working alongside some really good coaches and deliverers, team teaching and designing new methods of delivery for the BCU/UKCC Level 1 & 2 Coach programmes.

There has also been good water levels in the Southwest to run Advanced White Water Safety & Rescue and BCU 5 Star Inland courses and the sea has been fruity too.

What spare time there has been, it has been taken up with xmas shopping, endurance training and reading some really thought provoking research papers linked to coaching.