Broadway and Failsworth Lifesaving Club - News Archive
Open Water 2009
Fri, 30 Oct 2009
We received the tide tables in November 2008, planning started in earnest in March 2009 with all those involved meeting at the Boat and Horses in Chadderton. Broadway and Failsworth LSC, Droylsden LSC, Fleetwood LSC, Altrincham LSC and Blackpool Canoe Club.
This is the first time we had all got together before the Open Water. As we set out our lesson plans and who would take each award we built on the experience and dedication of each individual, we were now working as a team.
The risk assessment was agreed on and set out, eveyone was happy. The program developed each individual's role so everyone knew what they were doing - This was not going to be a "suck it and see" programme.
Over the summer we achieved these awards:
13 Rookie Beach Awards
4 Rookie Ocean Awareness Awards
4 Rookie Sea Awareness Awards
5 Assistant Beach Awards
5 Bronze Cross Awards
5 Silver Cross Awards
3 New Beach Lifeguards
5 Renewal Beach Lifeguards
So far through the joint collaboration we have exceeded all expectations.
Reflecting back over the years, the events that have been staged at Fleetwood have enhanced Beach use and made possible developments with local organisations. The partnership between the Lifesaving Clubs goes from strength to strength. We averaged 45 people per session this was an outstanding year.
I would like to thank all the Teachers, Assessors, Young Lifesavers and Lifeguards and especially the Members of the various Lifesaving Clubs who help out before, at and after these events because without these dedicated helpers the Open Water events would not happen. Thank you for making 2009 open water a great success.
Danny Wood
P.S. 2010 is in full swing
Taster Sessions – Debdale 9 February 2008 (Sailing)
Wed, 13 Feb 2008
We all met at Debdale Reservoir to get changed, Phil our tutor for the afternoon took us to the briefing room to run through the afternoon events. We introduced ourselves as we had a new Rookie called Sam. We are Conner, Sam, Danielle and Kirsty. Phil gave us a choice of either Kayaking or Sailing; the choice was sailing.
We were all kitted out and ready to go to our destination Audenshaw Reservoir which was only a short drive away. We were taken in the mini-bus while Paul, Gaynor and the rest of the parents travelled behind us in cars.
We arrived at our destination and were soon loaded into the speedboat, where we sped into the sunlight across the water to our sailing boat. We shared the whole reservoir with just one other sailing boat. While we were sailing a lady in a motor boat sped round our boat creating rough waves and our boat rocked back and forth making us all giggle.
We all had a go at being the Captain of the boat and Phil told each one of us in turn to look over the boat to see if the ropes were there and dunked our heads in the water – It was freezing – Brrrrrrr
We had up to 3 hours of sailing and was brought back by the speed boat – it was a really good day out, the sun was shining and it wasn’t too cold either (only the water).
Thanks to Elaine for organising this trip and to Paul, Gaynor and the parents for taking us. We all had a wonderful time……
Conner, Sam, Danielle and Kirsty
Presentation Disco 2007
Sat, 03 Nov 2007
We hosted the 2007 Presentation disco at the Happy Gathering Restaurant again as the facilities are great, Bruce the DJ did the honours with the disco and the potato pie supper gave everyone the energy to dance the night away.
Everyone who attended received an award whether it was for the Open Water or pool work. All our young members have worked so hard over the year the awards were well deserved.
Sue and Syd from the Fleetwood Lifesaving Club came to join us for the evening they didn’t go home empty handed; we showed our appreciation for their supplying of the changing and showering facilities for open water 2007.
The raffle was the best one yet with some really good prizes like a huge radio controlled boat and a huge fluffy dog donated by the restaurant, together with the usual bottles of wine and bath products. Many thanks go to those who donated the raffle prizes we couldn’t have done it without you.
Then everyone danced the night away.
Thank you to all those who helped to organise the disco especially those that helped with the catering, the raffle and the awards, and thank you to Sue and Syd for making the journey to join us.
Taster Sessions – Debdale 15/10/06
Fri, 03 Nov 2006
For the second year running Manchester City Council in conjunction with Debdale’s Outdoor Centre Manager have presented the Lifesaving Club with free tickets to enable our members to ‘have a go’ at Dinghy Sailing, Canoeing, Windsurfing and Raft Building. So many thanks go to Paul Heaton the Manager of Debdale Outdoor Centre and all the duty managers.
The day started bright and breezy which is just what we needed for the windsurfing and Raft Building that morning. Once the children had had their pep talk about safety and the use of equipment they were kitted out with the necessary life jackets and taken to be shown where the equipment was. They raided the store of barrels, ropes, planks and ladders.
After an hour or more the children armed with paddles launched their raft and climbed aboard and set off sailing. A large rubber ring was tied behind the raft. It was so hard to co-ordinate such a large group of children who were facing all directions and trying to balance on the raft but it was managed very well even though some were unfortunate and fell in. When the time had come to finish the session all the children had to walk the plank into the cold murky depths.
Whilst this was going on another group of children were wind surfing, this group were also instructed on safety regulations and the use of the equipment then the group were shown how to tie and set up their sail. The majority of this group were the children from the Altrincham Lifesaving Club who had joined us again this year for the open water sessions. Everyone worked well showing great team spirit.
Danny watched over the group using the body boards showing the team techniques of paddling and standing. The group then paddled out to the middle of the lake and had fun trying to keep standing up. Harder than it looks and there were a few who fell off!! Thank goodness I wasn’t taking part!!!
Once everyone was back on dry land the equipment was loaded onto the speed boats and they set off across the lake. The mission was to set up their boards and sail back.
The afternoon events were Dinghy Sailing and Canoeing in Kayaks the usual safety talk over everyone donned helmets and life jackets. The children busied themselves getting the Sailing boats and Kayaks set up. Then a talk about how to use the paddle or Sail then everyone launched their boats or Kayaks.
Soon the lake was a mass of blues, reds, yellows and pinks with the tutors speeding around the lake checking on each group. Some of our members didn’t fall off; but it made us laugh when they did or struggled to keep out of the freezing water. The weather kept up from the morning and was just what we needed sunny and breezy.
What a fantastic day - enjoyed by all.
Presentation Disco – 7/10/06
Fri, 13 Oct 2006
The presentation Disco, the first we have ever run, was held in the function room at the Happy Gathering in Royton. It started just after 7pm when the first of the members and their parents started to arrive – who blew up all those balloons? The presentation was hosted by Paul with Danny and our guest for the evening was Mr Mick Wardle the Chairman of The Manchester and District Branch of the Royal Life Saving Society resplendent in his official regalia. Awards were presented to all our members for their work over the summer of 2006 at the Open Water events although judging by some of the faces I think some of the awards were a surprise.
Flowers presented to the ladies behind the scenes of the Broadway and Failsworth Lifesaving Club for their commitment to the club throughout the year. There were also presentations to the ‘Fab Four’ – Danny, Bill, Paul and Elaine as without their commitment there wouldn’t be a club.
The potato pie supper seemed to disappear in a flash along with the gateaux then everyone worked this off dancing the night away to the disco.
Thanks go to the DJ, Bruce and to Mick Wardle and last but not least our friends from the Fleetwood Lifesaving Club who made the trip to join us.
Debdale
Sun, 22 May 2005
Yesterday heralded our first Open Water event of the season at the Outdoor centre at Debdale reservoir. The planning started well before Christmas as events like these take lots of organising. The dates were arranged first and booked then the application forms and information sheets were prepared then printed. The forms were then handed out to our members, and the other clubs that attend our events, for completion. On return these forms were collated into age, ability and requirements. Registers were then prepared to ensure that the trainers, who are beach Lifeguards, know who they are training and what they are teaching on the day. Although the weather was not the best (we have been extremely lucky in past years) the sun did try to shine and it didn’t rain so it wasn’t too bad.
I think the first one of the season is always the worst, emptying the trailer, sorting out equipment and wetsuits. Finding the right size of wetsuit for the younger members is always challenging. Then there is the handing out of the yellow t-shirts and quartered hats and then of course the ubiquitous group photograph. As the season progresses this process becomes finely tuned
Some of the very young found the water cold at first but soon entered into the spirit of the day by having a ‘go’. One little boy preferred to paddle at the edge in his Fins!! Maybe he will get a little further in next time!! The older members, training for their Assistant Beach Lifeguard, were ‘in there’ straight away as they are ‘really tough’ and showed the younger ones how it is done.
Because of the planning and preparation the whole event ran like clockwork and there were no mishaps.
