The Search for Young Adventurer of The Year Goes Nationwide
3rd Jul 2014
The search is on for the UK’s most adventurous young person. We're looking for the best runners, bikers, climbers, cavers, skiers, skateboarders, free-runners, kayakers and sailors in the country.
Following the success of the ‘Derbyshire Young Adventurer of the Year’ Awards, won last year by 16 year old Peak District cyclist Tom Craig, this year the awards are being opened up to applicants from anywhere in Britain. (We will retain a stand-alone ‘Derbyshire Young Adventurer of the Year’ category with special prize. The local winner will also be eligible to win the national award).
The winner of the new, nationwide ‘University of Derby Young Adventurer of The Year’ competition will be announced at an awards ceremony at Oaklands Manor Outdoor Leadership Centre on Friday 10 October as part of the third Buxton Adventure Festival on Saturday-Sunday 11-12 October.
PRIZES
The overall nationwide winner will be awarded the Young Adventurer of The Year trophy and an iPad. Our two runners up will also each receive an iPad. There will be an additional special prize for our top Derbyshire nominee of an ‘Adventure Day’ experience at Oaklands Manor Outdoor Leadership Centre for themselves and up to 20 classmates.
All nominees short-listed by our judges will be invited to the awards evening and receive a medal and two free tickets to our Saturday morning Young Adventurers’ session.
A PACKED PEAK DISTRICT WEEKEND
This year’s Buxton Adventure Festival will be held alongside the University of Derby’s Open Day and Activities at the Devonshire Dome for students interested in applying for courses in Sports Performance and Outdoor Leadership, and The Great Peak District Fair and Buxton Beer Festival in the Pavilion Gardens celebrating the best of the Peak District’s products and produce.
Tickets for BAF will be on sale from August and entry to the Open Day and Fair are both free.
NOMINATE A YOUNG ADVENTURER
Do you know a young person who is excelling in adventure sports? Are they pushing their boundaries? Or have they overcome a challenge or demonstrated great progress in the face of adversity?
Perhaps they are leading by example, volunteering or coaching to help others reach their potential? We want to hear their story.
Tell us in 250 words or less why you want to nominate your son, daughter, young relative, friend or classmate, student or club member, fellow team member or even yourself!
Professor Nick Draper, Head of School of Sport Performance and Outdoor Leadership, “Last year’s awards were a huge success. Our shortlist of 17 nominees featured runners, climbers, walkers, cyclists, sailors and even a 9 year old speed skater. This year, to reflect the growing popularity of sport performance and outdoor leadership courses with students from all over the country, we want to make the awards nationwide.”
Dr Peter Dewhurst, Strategic Director at the University of Derby, Buxton said: "The aim of the award is to encourage and inspire the next generation of adventurers. Adventure is at the heart of our outdoors courses at Oaklands Manor Outdoor Leadership Centre where we equip our students with the practical skills needed to face the challenges they will encounter whether they go on to work in the outdoors industry or become explorers and adventurers themselves."
Matt Heason, Buxton Adventure Festival Director said: “With the Peak District National Park on our doorstep, Derbyshire’s always attracted some of the world’s best adventure sports athletes. It’s great to be able to work with our title sponsor The University of Derby to encourage the next generation of talent from all over the UK. I hope to be booking some of our nominees to be speaking at events about their adventures in years to come.”
Janice Price, Partnership Manager at the Rural Derbyshire School Sport Partnership which helps provide quality PE and sports opportunities for schools in rural areas said: “Last year’s awards were truly inspiring. The depth of talent and enthusiasm within Derbyshire alone is staggering."
"For example, one of our students, 17 year old Laurie Butler from Anthony Gell School in Wirksworth, who won the Young Leader award last year, is in training for a 1,000 mile cycle ride with his friends from Derbyshire to Germany this summer to raise money for Amnesty International” (Donate to their trip here: https://www.justgiving.com/twowheelstwintowns/. Laurie is pictured left with Janice Price and Cameron Orr)
A special guest speaker will present the winners with medals and prizes and give a keynote speech at an exclusive, invitation-only awards ceremony evening at the Oaklands Manor Outdoor Leadership Centre at University of Derby, Buxton on Friday 10 October ahead of the Buxton Adventure Festival opening on Saturday 11 October.
ENDS
Press release Thursday 3 July 2014
Contact details:
- Buxton Adventure Festival PR Lissa Cook 07818 411 791 / 01663 751 126 / lissa@heason.net or Festival Director Matt Heason matt@heason.net
- University of Derby James Mitchell at J.Mitchell@derby.ac.uk
Notes To Editors:
- The Buxton Adventure Festival Young Adventurer Of The Year Awards are proudly presented by the University of Derby in partnership with the Rural Derbyshire School Sport Partnership.
- 2013 Awards Nominees: http://ruralderbyshiressp.org.uk/2013/11/01/youngadventurernominations/
- 2013 Awards Winners http://ruralderbyshiressp.org.uk/2013/11/01/youngadventurerwinner/
- The Buxton Adventure Festival is a weekend long celebration of inspiring speakers and films at the Pavilion Arts Centre, part of Buxton Opera House. 11-12 October. www.buxtonadventurefestival.co.uk
- Watch Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5ps8QNaJ1c
- Our programme will be announced soon with tickets going on sale in August from Buxton Opera House including a special Saturday morning Young Adventurers session; family-friendly Adventure Bites film loop; High Peak Tri Club’s Children’s Swim-Run Aquathlon, plus free activities with the YHA and Derbyshire Village Games.
Terms & conditions
- Nominations must be submitted online: http://www.buxtonadventurefestival.co.uk/young-adventurers-awards/#Vote%20for%20Young%20Adventurer%20Of%20The%20Year
- Nominations will close at 5pm on Friday 3rd October.
- Nominees must be 17 or under and live in or go to school/college in the UK on 10th October 2014. To be considered for the Derbyshire only prize, you must also live in and/or go to school/college in Derbyshire on the 10th October 2014.
- Nominations are open to the public as well as to schools, clubs, groups etc. You may nominate more than one young person (please submit one form per nominee). You may nominate yourself.
- Our judging panel (to be announced) will draw up a shortlist of nominees who will each receive a medal and an invitation to the awards ceremony at Oaklands Manor Outdoor Leadership Centre on the evening of Friday 10th October plus a free ticket for themselves and an adult to our Saturday morning Young Adventurers Session.
- The top three winners in the nationwide category will each win an iPad (model tbc) from the University of Derby.
- There is an additional prize for the top Derbyshire nominee of an ‘Adventure Day’ experience at Oaklands Manor Outdoor Leadership Centre for themselves and up to 20 classmates.
- The overall winner will also receive the University of Derby Young Adventurer of the Year trophy.
- In the event of a tied decision, Festival Director Matt Heason will have a casting vote.
