Outdoor Expeditions – New Member Profile

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Outdoor Expeditions

Thank you to our members who took the time to complete our membership survey for 2016. We received responses from over 30% of our AIM members.

Those who completed our survey were automatically entered into a prize draw to win an IPad Air 2, and our lucky winner was Russell Smith of Outdoor Expeditions Ltd in Suffolk. Bradley Mott and Kirsty Savidge, of the AIM team were able to deliver the IPad in person and speak with Russell about his experience in the industry and his newly established business, Outdoor Expeditions Ltd.

Outdoor Expeditions Ltd

After working as a teacher for over 10 years Russell decided a change was in order and in October of last year set up Outdoor Expeditions. Outdoor Expeditions Ltd is a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award approved activity provider that works with schools, organisations and individuals to run or provide access to high quality activities for all. They provide full packages which include training, practice and assessed expeditions.

Russell commented on why he choose AIM:-

“I chose AIM because I felt as a new business it was important to get the right cover and I felt after the research I had done AIM offered the best, this was because they appeared to understand the needs of my business better than anyone else. I originally came across AIM through the Institute of Outdoor Learning (IOL) of which I am a member, I had also read some good feedback on a couple of outdoor Facebook groups I’m a member of.  More importantly the thing that appealed the most to me was the fact that AIM was a mutual. I have always been fascinated by the whole mutual/cooperative business model, admiring companies such as John Lewis and my local Co-op – East of England Co-op, and when I started my business I tried to explore how I could work with mutuals and cooperatives. This is why I arranged my cover through AIM and why I bank with my local credit union Eastern Savings and Loans”

AIM was very pleased to welcome Outdoor Expeditions to the Mutual and wish Outdoor Expeditions the best of luck for the future.

Weardale Adventure Centre Ltd – New Member Profile

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Member Profile

We are pleased to welcome Weardale Adventure Centre, a residential multi-activity centre, as a new member to AIM.

Weardale Adventure Centre is an 80 bedded residential centre based in the North Pennines offering high-quality, outdoor and adventure education activities. They were founded in 1978 and ever since has been an integral part of the local community. As a result there are groups that have been visiting the centre for over 20 years.

After working at Weardale Adventure Centre for a number of years, centre manager Kay Sheppard and head of outdoor activities, John Noble decided to take over the business at the beginning of 2016.

The centre is situated in 5 acres of grounds surrounded by beautiful scenery where participants can enjoy on-site activities as well as the use of local venues.

Weardale Adventure Centre focus on delivering high quality educational programmes to school groups between the ages of 8 and 18 as well as offering activities to individuals, families and corporate events.

The centre offers a range of activities including high ropes, bushcraft, climbing, archery, gorge walking, mine exploration, canoeing, kayaking, raft building, camping, hiking and orienteering. As well as the activities Weardale offers canoeing courses, climbing courses, corporate training, first aid courses and navigation and hill skills.

AIM was happy to welcome Weardale Adventure Centre to the Mutual and wish them the best of success for the future.

John Noble, Director of Weardale Adventure Centre has this to say;

“We have found AIM very professional, helpful and friendly. The seminar I attended in London was very informative. We look forward to working with them for many years to come.” 

For more information on Weardale Adventure Centre please contact them by visiting:-

http://www.weardaleadventurecentre.co.uk

Mount Batten Watersports & Activities Centre

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AIM Member Profile

Established in 1999 on the site of a former RAF base in Plymouth, the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre is one of the foremost Outdoor Education centres in the South West.

It opens all year round to provide a wide range of watersports and land-based adventure activities for individuals, groups and affiliated clubs and associations. Located on the tidal estuary of the Plymouth Sound, the centre facilities include accommodation for up to 60 guests, boat storage and a waterside cafe bar that is open to the public.

Watersports offered include canoeing, coasteering, kayaking, sailing, stand-up paddleboarding and windsurfing. Land-based activities within easy reach of the centre include caving, gorge walking and rock climbing on limestone crags.

School groups visit the centre throughout the year and travel from as far afield as North Wales, Lincolnshire and Cornwall. Currently most groups that visit are from secondary schools but in recent years the centre has seen an increase in the number of primary schools attending, particularly from the immediate catchment area in and around Devon.

From Not-For-Profit to Charitable Status

The centre operates on a long-term lease from Plymouth City Council and has successfully operated as a “not-for-profit” company for many years. It has recently completed a transition to charitable status and now operates as the Mount Batten Centre Charity Trust. Alex King, Centre Manager, says that the prime reason for becoming a charity was to access a wider range of potential funding sources:

“With our newly established Charity status we will be able to access funding and grants, and benefit from tax relief, enabling us to increase our offering and make further improvements to the Centre, ensuring that all of our activities continue to be for the benefit of the Plymouth, and wider, community.”

Alex explained that the process of changing to charitable status was not without its challenges and he would be happy to offer advice to any other centre considering such a move. The process took many months and was not at all straightforward. Some of the centre’s trading activities have stayed outside the charity within a not-for-profit company that operates in parallel to accommodate some of the hospitality services that they provide (bar, weddings, parties, etc.).

One interesting outcome from their new charitable status has been the innovative “Recycle for Rewards” scheme that they have launched with Radio Plymouth to encourage local Primary Schools to earn credit for their school through recycling projects. Credits gained by the schools can then be “spent” on activities at the centre.

Flexible Staff Structure

The centre operates a flexible staff structure with a core team of 10 full-time permanent staff supplemented by a large number of freelance, casual and part-time workers. They employ a full-time Hospitality Manager, a part-time Housekeeper and up to 18 additional hospitality or housekeeping staff on a casual / part-time basis. They have a database of over 70 local Instructors who may help them as required throughout the seasonal peaks and troughs of the year. The centre can have up to 240 guests on the water and activity staff numbers can range from two to 32 per day.

Why AIM?

The Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre moved to AIM in 2014. In addition to Public and Employers’ Liability cover of £10m and Professional Indemnity cover of £2m, AIM provides property cover for a large fleet of boats and equipment and also arranges the insurance of their 7-seater vehicle with a specialist motor insurer.

Alex King, Centre Manager, values the industry knowledge and expertise within AIM and said that this was a major factor that was considered along with cost savings when making the decision to move from their previous insurer. He appreciates the sense of community that is AIM and the opportunities for Members to help each other. One such opportunity arose recently when Alex, whose previous experience includes the management of a group of UK dry-ski slopes, was invited to share his winter-sports technical expertise with a fellow AIM Member. This was to provide an external review of their procedures relating to a recently acquired dry-ski slope which they had added to their range of managed activities.

Other AIM community events include Member seminars, the AGM and the election of AIM directors. Alex says that he has not been disappointed since joining AIM and appreciates the added value that is provided by a “flexible approach with a personal touch”.

More info: www.mount-batten-centre.com

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Pinkston Watersports Centre

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AIM assists new watersports centre in Glasgow

Pinkston Watersports, a £3.25 million Watersports centre was officially completed and handed over to Scottish Canals and charitable body Glasgow Watersports.  Located in Pinkston Basin on the Forth & Clyde Canal, Pinkston Watersports is Scotland’s first and only competition-standard, purpose-built paddlesports venue. Featuring customisable white water and canoe slalom courses – designed by London 2012 course designer Andy Laird – a clean water basin, canoe polo pitches, wet classrooms and heated clubhouse and is expected to attract around 25,000 visitors a year.  It will play a key role as a training venue but as a community hub to encourage people of Scotland to get out on the water and lead more active lives.

Iain Braithwaite, the Centre Manager, contacted AIM in October 2013 while the centre was still in construction and enquired about the mutual and getting the right cover in place.

“I have to extend my thanks to the team for the outstanding customer service you have demonstrated to us.  From the first phone call, right through to clearing up the final few details AIM have been infinitely helpful and a pleasure to deal with”.

AIM was happy to support this development from early discussions through to the final opening of the site.  AIM welcomes Pinkston to the Mutual and wishes all involved in the centre good luck for the grand opening and for the year ahead.

Dukes Barn

Dukes Barn – New Member Profile

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The Mutual is pleased to announce that Dukes Barn an educational trust based in Beeley, in the heart of the Peak District National Park has joined AIM.

Dukes Barn provides group accommodation and outdoor adventure activities to young people of all ages and abilities but its main focus is those children with special needs including Autism, Aspergers Syndrome, Downs Syndrome, children with hearing or sight impairment and those with physical disabilities including wheelchair users.

It offers a wide range of activities and tailors a program to suit the needs of any group but this can include abseiling, rock climbing, canoeing and orienteering.  There is a comprehensive list of the activities offered under the website including details of the group accommodation available.

The managers of Dukes Barn Company are highly qualified in the delivery of outdoor adventure activities with many years experience of working with disadvantaged, disabled and special needs children and young adults and in the operational management of centres such as Dukes Barn and is also AALA licensed.

Dukes Barn were, like many centres, left without cover when JLT withdrew its activity provision from the market place and so AIM was happy to provide a quotation for this centre.  It welcomes Dukes Barn to the Mutual and wishes them a successful year ahead.

Graham Jones, Head of Centre commented:-

“When approaching the Mutual for a quotation on our insurance we found them to be very friendly, professional and efficient. Transferring insurance to a new company can always be hard work but the Mutual has helped us achieve a smooth transaction”

For more information on Dukes Barn please contact them http://www.dukesbarn.org/index.htm