NEWS
Newport Schools Funding Consultancy Period Ends 3rd February so act fast !
There are now proposals to cut the funding by a further £8000 for 2012/13 instead of the original plans to cut funding by £62,000 (on top of the £72,000 cut in 2011/12). So there is some good news BUT this is still only a proposal with consultation ending on February 3rd 2012. So please give this proposal your feedback by contacting:
http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=finance.homepage&contentid=cont633087
or e mail public.relations@newport.gov.uk
or write to:
Newport City Council
Civic Centre
Newport
NP20 4UR
Abergavenny Food Festival
Forest Cooking Skills & Outdoor Adventure Activites
Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 September, 10.00am – 4.00pm.
Enjoy culinary delights cooking al fresco. Activities include bushcraft, woodcarving and mobile making, ball sports, archery, climbing wall, high ropes. Indoor traverse for younger children. This weas a very successful weekend for all concerned. Despite heavy rain showers the bushcraft cooking still produced piping hot bread flavoured with blackberries, apples, raisons, sugar, grated cheese & chocolate ! We even had gluten free bread mix available 1
Business Team Building Day
IJ Caddick, builders from Blaenavon, enjoyed a beautiful Saturday at Gilwern centre in July. 15 keen employees challenged themselves on the high ropes course before a filling buffet lunch & then braved Ogof Clogwyn - a local cave - where some participants got wetter than others ! (see photos below)
GNAS Archery Course
In a freezing cold gym 10 instructors from Hilston Park, Gilwern OEC and Talybont centre are completing their GNAS Community Sports Leader Award in Archery. A mixture of personal shooting, coaching & history is combined with much stamping of the feet & rubbing hands during this period of heavy snow !
Orienteering for youngsters
Ian Kennet, head of centres and keen member of South Wales Orienteering Club recently ran a very successful Schools Orienteering Festival at Heath Park. More details at http://www.swoc.org.uk/Platform/Platform_October_2010.pdf
New Showers for Gilwern - Showers now Open !
More showers have been agreed for the Sugarloaf block & building work will commence in early August and hopefully will be completed before our first residential visits in September. Each "wing" will have 2 extra showers & each wing will now have 17 beds in each supported by 5 showers.
New Activity Day for Hilston Park
A new activity day developed by Hilston Park and set in the Forest of Dean involves the new sport of GEOCACHING, some very mild caving, route finding and some incredible views over the Wye valley !
All Terrain wheel chair for Gilwern
Thanks to a generous donation by Monmouthshire Building Society and Abergavenny Red Cross , Gilwern OEC has converted a regular wheel chair into a go anywhere chair, ideal for use on our wheel chair abseil ramp
Eco Centre status for Hilston Park
Gwent Outdoor Centres can now boast TWO centres with full accredtation under the Eco Centre scheme. Hilston have now gained this prestigous award following the introduction of many new "green" ideas including weighing each schools waste, sending waste to Wormtech etc etc. Well done to them !!
Monmouthshire Head Teachers Meeting
Held this year at Gilwern Centre was a resounding success with Heads already wanting to come next year. A mixture of meetings and team challenges was well attended with Chief Executive Paul Matthews, Corporate Director of Life long Learning & leisure Andy Keep, Liz Hacketpain, cabinet member for Children & young Peoples Services as well as many others enjoy the great weather & positive experience.
Newport Duke of Edinburgh Open Day
Gwent Outdoor Centres hasd a successful day with our stand at the DofE open day in Newport in april. There was lots of interest from schools & organisations and even a visit from Prince Edward !
