AOAC Newsletter
 

Message from the Chair

I hope you are all continuing to enjoy the beauty of Spring, especially the bluebell carpets which are such a wonderful sight. I hope you’ve been able to get out and enjoy your favourite activities, or maybe tried something new.

With the lighter evenings come a range of activities to enjoy during the week including walks, bike rides, paddlesport coaching as well as playing on the weir and outdoor climbing. Have a look at the calendar and get booked on.  If you feel inspired and/or can’t see what you want on there consider organising an event – there’s plenty of support available and it’s a great way to give back to the Club.

Thanks as always, for everyone who contributes to putting events on the calendar – organisers, leaders, coaches and assistants. People sharing their enthusiasm with others is what makes this Club what it is.           

I’m happy to say that we now have a membership officer – Sarah White – welcome to the committee Sarah. Pete Ryecroft has also agreed to be the point of contact for Welfare alongside his role of Activities Officer.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me or any of the committee if you have any ideas, comments or suggestions about Club-related matters. Our email contact details are on the website.

Have fun out there!                                                  

Katie, AOAC Chair - [email protected]

Messing about on the water

So off I went, on what started as a grey, slightly chilly Saturday morning, thinking paddlesports = wet and cold (the reason I gave up sailing) - but hey, there must be something fun about it as this is one of the most popular activities in the Club right?

Arriving at the riverside, our instructors for the day - Steve, Janet, Rob and Lucia had already put all the craft available for the day out on display: open canoes, kayaks, sit on top recreational kayaks, playboats etc - and guess what, the sun started to come out!  Perhaps this might not be so bad after all.

After getting kitted out with all the relevant safety gear, and each choosing our first paddle craft, we were shown how to set it up to fit us, then manhandled them down to the riverside.  After being shown how to 'launch' ourselves from the small slipway into the river, things were starting to look like real fun could be had out on the water!

What, no practice capsize?  You mean we don't have to get a dunking before we can go and play? Result! 

The day was all about trying things out, taking on board some basic tuition and having fun. 

We spent the day padding up and down the river, playing kayak polo with a tennis ball (it got quite competitive!) and messing around having fun in the different paddle craft.  Our instructors made sure it was relaxed, loads of fun and safe.  I certainly didn't get cold the whole day and I thoroughly enjoyed it - and no-one capsized! 

If you have thought about having a go at paddlesports, book yourself on the next one, I can definitely recommend it. 

Huge thanks to Irene, Janet, Rob, Lucia and Steve for the hard work that day to put the event on, spending the day with us and clearing all the kit away at the end of the day.

Sue, AOAC Comms - [email protected]

Boots on for national walking month!

The AOAC evening walk season is well underway with forays into little known parts of Bristol as well as further afield. National walking month puts into focus an easy and rewarding form of exercise and of course, May is an especially good month for walking.

I really enjoyed Matt’s historic Bristol docks walk, having 22 of us must be a record for recent times.  There are more evening walks lined up in Bath and Bristol for the rest of May, both with places available. If you haven’t been on a club walk for a while, an evening walk or summer wander might be just the thing. Sometimes there are pubs or even fish and chips!

Andy, AOAC Walking Coordinator - [email protected]

https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-us/national-walking-month

#walkthismay

Walk this way for some Bristol history 

Matt Hughes led us on a 3 mile stroll around the historic Bristol docks area, imparting his knowledge of the area.  An impressive turnout on a rainy Tuesday evening in April - joined by a few of our four-legged friends!  You can read more of the history here:

https://www.bristolport.co.uk/about-us/our-history

We have enough people interested in becoming road ride leaders so the next theory course is booked for Tuesday 24 May at 18:45 hrs. It will be run by Guy and will last for roughly 2-3 hours. For full details and to register your interest in a space, drop an email to [email protected].  The course consists of a theory session and then a practical session which will be leading a ride at a location, time and date of your choice. 

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