Dear Colleagues,

From: Julian Brazier, Lembit Öpik and Derek Wyatt, Co-Chairs of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Risk and Recreation in Society.

We cordially invite you to a genuine ‘chill-out’ to start your Wednesday…

0830 Wednesday 14^th May - The Saab ‘North Wall’ Ice Climbing Centre, Covent Garden, London.  Please find below a map and details of this remarkable venue. 

The purpose of this gathering is to celebrate the launch of Outdoor Adventure Week, 2008.

A press release covering the event is attached.  Please do distribute this to your networks and utilise any opportunities it may offer.

Thank you and best wishes. We look forwards to seeing you there.  An RSVP to our coordinator, Ian Lewis on O845 345 7423 would be helpful if you are likely to attend.

Yours sincerely,

Julian, Lembit and Derek

Should you wish to participate all equipment & warm clothing will be provided at the venue by Ellis Brigham Sports.

TOWER HOUSE, 3-11 Southampton St, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 7HA
Tel. 0207 395 1010  Fax. 0207 395 1023
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Press Release and Photo Opportunity: Immediate

When: 14^th May, 2008 0830hrs

Where: TOWER HOUSE, 3-11 Southampton St, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 7HA

Who: The Co-Chairs of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Risk and Recreation in Society  

Julian Brazier MP, Shadow Minister for Transport; Lembit Öpik MP Liberal Democrats’ spokesman on business, enterprise and regulatory reform (BERR).  Derek Wyatt MP

Outdoor Adventure Week is an invitation to everyone in the UK to take part in an outdoor adventure of their own. It runs from the 24^th - 31^st May [before and after is fine, too].  The purpose is to help remind everyone that the weather is warm now and the outdoors offers great fun and excitement, fitness, challenge and adventure for all – and all this is mostly for free!

Julian Brazier MP, Shadow Minister for Transport and Co-Chair of the All party Parliamentary Group on Risk and Recreation in Society stated “We take great pleasure in supporting this week of adventurous activities across the UK.  The work that is put in by parents, teachers, youth-workers and sports’ leaders, whether paid or voluntary, is fantastic, but we need more.  Please make a special effort during Outdoor Adventure Week to get our young people outdoors and doing adventurous things.”

The aims of Outdoor Adventure Week are threefold: to increase understanding of the types of opportunity available for healthy fun and adventure; to promote the value of the outdoors as a source of fun and inexpensive lifestyle for all ages and for families; to help better achieve understanding of the positive balance which exists between risks and benefits within a healthy adventurous life and in outdoor adventure.

Ray Mears, Patron of the Campaign for Adventure says: “It is vital that young people and families get the opportunities to find adventure in life to prepare themselves for the future.  I enthusiastically support the Outdoor Adventure Week initiative and hope that you too will back it and change thousands of lives.”

Many hundreds have already committed, but we hope even more parents, youth-workers, teachers, centre staff, and community sports leaders may join this publicity opportunity.  Ian Lewis, coordinator of Campaign for Adventure, which with the English Outdoor Council has sponsored the event, stated ‘Everyone should choose a time to try something different. Life is best lived in a spirit of adventure and healthy risk-taking. It is through sensible risk-taking that our common sense, responsibility and trust in ourselves and others’ evolves.” 

Lord Adonis, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools and Learners “Adventure activities provide the ideal opportunity to make children ‘risk-aware’ by involving them in practical decision-making in challenging environments.”      

Lembit Öpik MP, Lib Dem spokesman on business, enterprise and regulatory reform (BERR), also a Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Group, states: “Nothing can substitute for experience.  Without it we have no idea of what we are capable. With it we gain self-esteem, confidence, experience, judgement and leadership abilities. Well done on Outdoor Adventure Week.”

Two adventure providers are particularly enthusiastic about OAW.  The first ‘GoApe’ provides challenging high level forest experiences at 19 sites around the UK.  Tristan Mayhew, company founder states “We shall have our millionth customer this year, hopefully during OAW.  It could be you!”.  Ruth Walmsley of National Camping and Caravanning Week 2008 “We have given over 16 square miles of countryside to make the week something special. Just get in touch.”

http://www.nccw.co.uk/

The week also offers those involved the chance to publicise events and stories using the web and the media – just contact the OAW media office via This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ends:

Contacts and stories:

Julian Brazier TD MP This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Lembit Öpik MP: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Derek Wyatt MP: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Rick Haythornthwaite, Chair, Better Regulation Commission, BERR

Randall Williams, Chair English Outdoor Council, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Outdoor Adventure Week:  Ian Lewis 0845 345 7423/07802 423502 www.outdoor-learning.org/may08_activity_week.htm

National Camping and Caravanning Week 2008: Ruth Warmsley 07746936464  http://www.nccw.co.uk/

Support Comments:

About ‘ARISc’: Comment by Libby Purves: The intention of ARISc was to challenge and rectify the increasingly risk-averse, litigious, timid public culture. It was not only about the school trips and outdoor education that were withering under the cold blast of blame and the expectation of unachievable total safety: it took on the wider question of risk and enterprise and creativity being hampered by a crippling emphasis on regulation. It invited business leaders and creatives to back it, as well as adventure organisers.

UK has a great tradition of healthy risk-taking and adventuring. The government endorses adventure through its The Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto,  the Better Regulation report ‘Risk, Responsibility and Regulation’ (Recommendation 1, 1: ‘Emphasise the importance of resilience, self-reliance, freedom, innovation and a spirit of adventure in today’s society’) and its passing of the Compensation Bill. 

‘Our young people are safer on adventure education programmes than they are at home.’

The Caravan & Camping Club of Great Britain Outdoor Week is on the same dates, and have they have opened 16 sq. miles of countryside to support the cause.  Contact: CCC PR Director Ruth Walmsley – 07746936464 or the CCC website direct

Sleep under the stars – The probability of getting wet is only one chance in 20 over a year away from the wet of the West [met office], but some basic needs apply:

If a child, check you have a trusted adult aware of what you are doing.  Have a wet weather plan [a tent or shelter near by?] and ensure you have some food to enjoy whilst you are out.  Look out for shooting stars, satellites and constellations.  Listen for night birds and the evening and dawn chorus.  Binoculars are great for looking at the stars.  Use you garden or trampoline!

Trying something new and adventurous is the start of  finding out about what you can really do. Of course there is no reason to feel bounded by these dates. 

Of course as a young person or parent you could contact a centre, a club or a qualified leader if you have uncertainties – they should listen to you now that young people really are getting a say in things….