JOG report Spring 2016
Chairman Bob Lloyd congratulates Wood-Cattell family
An eventful term had its challenges starting with a stolen banner and continuing with Storm Imogen! Interest was added to the events programme with the addition of two new areas as well as a map extension to Fyne Court, plus seniors increasingly turned to JOG for some training. Judy Craddock reports...
Fyne Court on 16th January followed the QOFL on 1st January on the JOG calendar. The event started badly when the Finish flag was stolen before we managed to put it up! However things improved from there and, although the weather was overcast, 60 people attended. Richard was the planner and he added the newly mapped area the east of the map for the Fox course.
Netherclay Woods on 23rd Jan was planned by Spencer. Although the paths were thick with mud the trees have now grown to a height which will almost allow the woods to be mapped as white. This encouraged the children to cut through the woodland rather than slip and slide in the mud. Usually an area which attracts The Masses we had only 34 participants.
31st Jan was the QOFL at Buckland Wood followed by Culm Davy on 6th February. Although Storm Imogen was threatening, Adrian had started to put out controls on the Saturday morning. However it was soon evident that Culm Davy was too exposed and sadly we decided to cancel the event for not only would it have been dangerous especially in the wooded areas but the roads leading to Culm Davy were likely to flood.
Mark Maynard planned our first event at Huish Woods, we have worked for a long time to gain access to this area and it did not disappoint. It’s a small map but with very distinct areas from wooded sections to quite complex camping sites. The weather was not good and only 32 people came but those who did had great runs.
Rachel Bussell planned the Queen’s College event on 20th February and used the Comeytrowe area in addition to the Queen’s map for the Fox course. It’s always hard to forecast how many will come to an event at half term but we had 42 so it was well worth while.
Spencer presents Andrew with his Badger certificate
After the St Audries Galoppen on 28th February we had Jenny Wood planning at Longrun Meadow on March 5th. This time we started at St Margaret’s Hospice, they kindly allowed us to use their car park. We usually start at the other end of the Meadow so it made the courses more interesting setting off from the west of the map. It was a sunny afternoon and 65 people attended. All of the courses were enjoyed with the Fox course proving a good challenge, quite difficult to achieve in an area so well used.
Simon Beck had mapped Henlade Woods a few years ago but due to restrictions placed by the Woodland Trust we felt that it was not possible to use it. However Bob has contacted them more recently and they were much more relaxed, so on 12th March we used it for the first time. Chris Philip was the planner and he enjoyed the challenge of planning four courses on such a small area and he developed an interesting format for the Fox. 21 juniors and 9 seniors ran and 14 adults accompanied their children around courses making an attendance of 44.
It is interesting to note that we are regularly having seniors running at the JOG events, in order there have been Fyne Court 11, Netherclay Woods 11, Huish Woods 10, Queen’s College 13, Longrun Meadow 10 and Henlade Woods 9.
We are not having JOG this Summer Term but will start again in September.
Judy Craddock