Outdoor Activity Week : 24th–31st May 2008 
Adventure activities provide the ideal opportunity to make children ‘risk aware’ by involving them in practical decision-making in challenging environments.
Lord Adonis
Outdoor Activity Week 2008 got off to a flying start!
As part of Outdoor Adventure Week, High Borrans Outdoor Centre organised a sponsored abseil off the tower at Segedunum Roman Fort in North Tyneside. This event was an opportunity for young people and residents of North Tyneside to participate in an adventurous activity at an iconic site in their home area. The event was enjoyed by all who took part, and money raised will go towards enhancing outdoor and recreational provision for groups who visit High Borrans OEC near Windermere.
A report from Ian Lewis....
Do you have a local radio station? Put some spice into life....link ideas and opportunities to Outdoor Adventure Week. 24th – 31st May, 2008 It’s happening around you.
Ray Mears says…
“It is vital that young people and families get the opportunities to find adventure in life to prepare themselves for the future. I enthusiastically support the Outdoor Adventure Week initiative and hope that you too will back it and change thousands of lives…”
Back to main Outdoor Activity Week page >>>
How can I get involved?
Just get people talking….
- 2800 events around UK have been organised by centres, schools, clubs and communities. We do not know them all. There are 1200 forest events, and 1000 events linked to camping. There are events for ‘Wild Women’, and fund-raising abseils, sleep-outs and picnics….these things are happening in your area. Contact details are available. Ian Lewis is travelling from site to site – but will never get to them all, of course. The idea is to have local people do it for themselves – that spark of adventure.
If you run live media:
- Challenge people to do something today they have never done before.
- Get a ‘phone in’ going on what people are doing right NOW.
- Get adventure ideas from young people, parents, local activity providers [bike hirers, event promoters, communities, sports clubs, etc., local councils, sports development people, fitness centres….] They will all have great things to share going on at the time.
Examples: lifestyle change and just doing something different. Check the web for ideas. It may be simply using your feet instead of the car, or biking somewhere special or eating or sleeping in the garden. The weather looks OK on Saturday and from Tuesday on! Think various budgets [picnics and walks are free, boating and climbing costs something, and adventure parks cost a little more]. Museums and art galleries less.
Some ‘heavier’ angles:
Plenty of research has shown that people grow in their self esteem through adventure and this has been proved to show:
- enhanced personal and social, communication skills, increased physical health, enhanced mental and spiritual health, enhanced spiritual, sensory and aesthetic awareness, personal confidence, increased awareness, and of course a greater sense of fun!
The event was launched in London – 3 MPs climbed an ice wall! [Lembit Opik LD, Julian Brazier, Cons, Lord Allen Haworth, Lab].
In Cumbria Brathay Hall Trust broke World Records - Man’s and Woman’s first 10 marathons in ten days running all the way around Lake Windermere!
They called it The Beautiful Marathon!
Contacts: local contacts you might ‘light touch’ and set yourself up as the ‘orchestrator’ of ‘Outdoor Adventure Week’ in your area or region. Ian Lewis, coordinator for Campaign for Adventure on behalf of the Outdoor Council will be available to help (07802 423502)
email: ian@campaignforadventure.org
see also: www.campaignforadventure.org