Edition number 74; dateline 1 August 2013
Coaching Insights ride again
The Leisure Review has seen fit to announce two Coaching Insights to kick off the autumn Series of seminars for developed and developing coaches. On 11 September the University of Manchester will host an examination of the challenges posed when coaching young adults, with BJ Mather of the Rugby Football League, Justyn Price of StreetGames and David Haskin, the man who wrote the book in the C-system, all speaking. The evening is being supported by both GreaterSport and Sport Cheshire, and will be relevant to coaches whatever context they work in. On 9 October the caravan moves back to the programme’s spiritual home with Coaching Nottinghamshire partnering Sport Nottinghamshire to offer an afternoon seminar asking when “groups” become “teams” and the implications for their coaches. All enquiries bookings and tentative approaches from prospective hosts will be gladly fielded by TLR’s coaching correspondent via mickowen@theleisurereview.co.uk
One hundred years of Britten
All but the most avid aficionado of English classical music may well have failed to note that November 2013 will mark the centenary of the birth of Benjamin Britten. It will, however, surprise no one that the Barbican, one of London’s foremost cultural melting pots, is readying itself to celebrate this anniversary and, given the Barbican’s deserved reputation for innovation, exploration and scholarship, it will surprise very few that their two-week Barbican Brittenfestival will feature a lot more than musical performances. The festival begins on 6 November but the programme for Illuminating Britten, a three-day celebration from 8-10 November, illustrates the Barbican’s determination to embrace eclecticism. Illuminating Britten will offer an in-depth exploration of Britten’s work and life through film screenings, talks, panel discussions and performances. The weekend includes a keynote speech by Britten biographer Paul Kildea, featuring actor Alex Jennings, who played Britten in Alan Bennett’s play The Habit of Art,and the tenor Robert Murray. Conductor Sir Mark Elder will be in conversation with soprano Amanda Roocroft and pianist Iain Burnside about Britten's performing career as conductor and pianist. The weekend also features a discussion titled Britten as Composerfor the Community, chaired by BBC Radio 3’s Petroc Trelawny with contributions from composers Judith Weir, Joseph Phibbs and Orlando Gough. BBC Radio 4’s Midweek presenter Libby Purves is joined by The Daily Telegraph critic Peter Parker and opera director Will Kerley in Britten: Sense and Sexuality, a discussion which tackles the question about how Britten’s sexuality affected his creativity. With the rest of the Britten festival continuing in a similar vein, The Leisure Review can confidently report that there will be something for everyone.
New man at the helm at Parkwood
Parkwood Leisure has appointed Andrew Marshall as its new managing director. Formerly managing director at Leisure Connection, Marshall will be responsible for maintaining and developing client relationships, further enhancing operational standards and driving new business. Innovation and engagement with local communities will apparently be central to this development. Parkwood Leisure currently operates 84 leisure facilities on behalf of 25 local authority clients, boasting a turnover in excess of £70 million and 4,500 staff throughout England and Wales.
New roles at Precor
Precor, one of the most glittering stones in the brand-bejewelled crown that is Amer Sports, has recently announced the appointment of Derek Burke as EMEA (a patch that includes “the Nordics”, Russia, the Middle East and Africa) regional commercial director. His appointment follows the imminent retirement of current president, Paul Byrne, and Rob Barker’s subsequent appointment as Precor’s new president.
Meanwhile, on London’s busy Oxford Street…
And still with Precor, it seems that low-cost health club operator easyGym has opened what it confidently claims as a “state-of-the-art flagship gym” in a venue it describes as “in the heart of London’s Oxford Street”. This takes easyGym’s number of UK sites to eight and easyGym CEO, Paul Lorimer-Wing, is bullish about the company’s offer. “Our philosophy has always been to provide a quality but affordable experience,” he said. “Low cost doesn’t mean basic at easyGym. We strip out all the frills to give great value, but still have Precor’s top-of-the-range equipment, tasteful décor and quality fittings.” The Leisure Review’s gym correspondent will be digging out their A-to-Z for a visit in the very near future.
Whitewater Olympic legacy goes with gravity
Among the London 2012 venues marking the anniversary of the Games was Lee Valley White Water Centre, which was offering visitors the chance to try hydrospeeding “alongside the medallists”. While hydrospeeding is not yet an Olympic sport (although it surely cannot be long), it is, according to the good people at Lee Valley, “an adrenalin-pumping sport similar to body boarding” and one of the new activities that the centre is launching on the rapids, alongside hot dog sessions, which involve navigating the white water in an inflatable kayak.
GB Canoeing athletes Tim Baillie, Etienne Stott, David Florence and Richard Hounslow were among those returning to the scene of their Olympic glory to celebrate “a year of legacy and paddling success”.
• For more on the new activities visit: www.gowhitewater.co.uk
SALTEX: the leisure professional’s leisure show
We make no apologies at The Leisure Review for putting SALTEX, the sports, amenity and landscape trade exhibition organised by the Institute of Groundsmanship, right at the top of our list of favourite leisure-related trade shows. While other exhibitions may have their attractions, TLR reserves its affections for the only leisure event we have come across that delivers visitors to its front desk by boat. Scheduled for 3-5 September 2013 at Windsor Racecourse, Berkshire, SALTEX is primarily aimed at open space professionals who design, construct, manage and maintain the UK’s outdoor facilities. It is true that among the 300 suppliers exhibiting there is enough machinery, tools, vehicles, turf, soils, seeds, aggregates, artificial or natural surfaces, playgrounds, landscaping equipment, street furniture, arboriculture, horticulture, safety, security, training and education services to keep even the most ardent parky salivating for most of the day but it is also an event that has plenty for the leisure generalist willing to understand and explore the connections between outdoor and indoor leisure. The exhibition’s revamped website can be found at www.iogsaltex.com
