At the conclusion of the inaugural ‘National Schools Snowsport Week sponsored by Visit Andorra’, 1066 Schoolchildren and 149 schools got involved in the Snowsport England initiative (Pictured top are children at Ackers Adventure, below Chatham).
Complementing the success of the national snowsports participation campaign, GO SKI GO BOARD, which was started by Snowsport England in 2013, National Schools Snowsport Week sponsored by Visit Andorra gave opportunities for schoolchildren across the country to try skiing or snowboarding either for free or at low cost.
The campaign, which ran at 21 slopes across England, including at The Snowdome in Tamworth, above, included free taster sessions at most slopes as well as low cost recreational slope time and several events aimed at schools, including the ERSA Schools Race at Suffolk Ski Centre and the Independent Schools Association Championships at The Snow Centre.
Kicking off the week was a launch event aimed at raising the profile of the project, with National Schools Snowsport Week ambassadors Stacey Solomon and GB snowboarder Aimee Fuller showing local children how it was done.
The new initiative was supported by Visit Andorra as well as school tour operator Equity which meant each child who took part in the week went away with a goody bag for their efforts.
“2016’s National Schools Snowsport Week has exceeded our expectations by a long way. By signing up 21 slopes to the initiative and getting over a thousand children involved we have beaten all targets, and more importantly given the snowsports bug to hundreds of children across the country,” said Dominic McGonigal, Chairman of Snowsport England’s Youth Development Committee said at the conclusion of the campaign, who added, “A big thanks goes out to all the schools, slopes and volunteers involved. We definitely plan to do the same again next year but even bigger and better!”
The success of the inaugural week will act as a springboard for future events, with plans already in place to run National Schools Snowsport Week again in April 2017. Picture above from Swadlingcote ski slope.
Schools are also able to sign up for Schools Membership of Snowsport England by visiting nssw.co.uk/schools
Slopes that participated in National Schools Snowsports Week 2016:
Ackers Adventure, Birmingham (below and top)
Alpine Snowsports Centre, Southampton
Bracknell Ski and Snowboard Centre
Chatham Ski and Snowboard Centre
Chill Factore, Manchester
Gosling Ski and Board Centre
Gloucester Ski and Snowboard Centre
Impulse Racing (at The Snow Centre, Hemel)
Mendip Snowsports Centre
Plymouth Ski and Snowboard Centre
Silksworth Ski Slope, Sunderland
Ski Rossendale
Ski Torquay
Skiplex Chiswick
Skiplex Reading
Skiplex Basingstoke
SnowDome, Tamworth
Stoke Ski and Snowboard Centre
Suffolk Ski Centre
Swadlincote Ski and Snowboard Centre
The Snow Centre/ Hemel Ski Race Club (pictured above)
