EVENT

THE MILLERS MILE CORACLE CLUB

RELAY RACE.


PART OF LONDON 2012 OPEN WEEKEND

So any team of 4 can join in.Must be over 18 and

able to swim with clothes on.


DATE JULY 25TH 2009 (and 26th depending on entries)


WHERE: MORTIMERS CROSS MILL,

LEOMINSTER, HEREFORDSHIRE

HR6 9PE


CONTACT THE MILLERS MILE CORACLE CLUB

CHRIS PARTINGTON 01568 708820

E mail mortimersmiller@...

Web Sites www.coracles.org





Paddle like an Ancient Briton. The Coracle is our oldest type of water craft.
Come and re-enact history with your friends making up a team of four contestants
and race against your fellows in a Coracle Relay Race.(Coracles,Paddles & Life
Jackets provided but feel free to bring your own). Originally open to members of
young farmers clubs principally to encourage an appreciation of and use of the
coracle and promote an idea that any piece of water on any farm can become a fun
place for coracling on. Also now open to any team of 4 contestants who can swim
as part of the London 2012 Open Weekend.(I`m thinking local rural youth
teams,maybe local farms,maybe local factories.The more the merrier but
contestants must be over 18 & able to swim with clothes on-suggest attendance at
a Personal Survival course at local swimming baths)

Funding
I envisage charging each team £8 to enter.Hopefully this will be enough to cover
the expenses for the event.Please check your household insurance covers you for
boating/messing about in boats.

The Millers Mile Coracle Club is inviting the nations young farmers clubs to
enter any number of teams of 4 to compete against each other in a Coracle Relay
Race on the River Lugg here at Mortimers Cross Mill,Nr Leominster,Herefordshire
during the weekend of July 25/26 this year and every year until 2012. (Being a
scheduled ancient monument the Mill is on every map & every computer with
Microsoft Autoroute) If you cant attend this year could you please write back
anyway and say if you would be interested in taking part next year?

I have already arranged for Mercia Inshore Search & Rescue to provide a rescue
service and arranged insurance for the event through NFU Mutual. I have had a
risk assessment done but its recommended you do your own.

Mortimers Cross Mill is a scheduled ancient monument in the care of English
Heritage. I am the curator and the creator of the Millers Mile Coracle Race
which takes place here every June at a Coraclers Gathering.Everyone who
completes the Millers Mile Race becomes a free life member of the Millers Mile
Coracle Club.Coracling is a fun participation sport and I am keen to introduce
it to new people. (Anyone who learns the correct method of paddling a coracle
quickly and who can swim may have a crack at the Millers Mile during the
Openweekend at an arranged time.There are several world records in various
craft.The race is timed on a stop watch.)

Inspiration for this event has come from many quarters.
1) Apparently some outdoor pursuits organization in Herefordshire obtained
£20,000 from the National Lottery around 2004/2005 to give coracle making
instruction and went on to do classes in the local young farmers clubs & youth
clubs so somewhere out there are hundreds of coracles not doing a lot. We
thought of providing an opportunity for them to be dusted down and pressed into
service and arranged a coracle regatta every year but no sign of any coracles or
even a mention of them reached our ears so now we are appealing direct to the
students themselves! We don't expect many people to have been in a coracle
before though so knowing a correct paddling method is not essential.If your
coracle needs repair or you need to learn how to paddle it ring Chris on
01568-708820.
2) Our main inspiration is the Macmillan Cancer Charity Coracle Race that
happens every year in June on the Severn in Shrewsbury. Each team of 4 in that
race bung around £50 in as an entry fee and obtain individual sponsors to help
raise money for Macmillan. The Race raised £34000 in 2008 and they are hoping to
raise £25000 this year. So I see no reason why the teams entering our relay race
shouldn't persue their own fund raising targets with their own chosen
charities,just don't involve us! All we need is the £8 per team to help pay for
the weekend!

We got a great e mail about The London 2012 Open Weekend some of it is
reproduced here.
Last year over 700,000 people enjoyed the first London 2012 Open Weekend; this
year we hope it will be bigger and better. Between 24 – 26 July 2009, the
weekend will feature events all over the UK inspired by London 2012, enabling
people – young or old – to join in.
We want organisations and venues across the UK to really open up, challenge
themselves to do something different, something exciting. We want the public to
take this opportunity to join in and try something new.
Whether it's trying out a new sport (like Coracling) London 2012 is opening up
new possibilities and bringing people together. We'd love you to be part of it.
What are we looking for?
The London 2012 Open Weekend is open to organisations and venues from the world
of culture, sport, learning and sustainability. We are inviting organisations
and individuals to `Open up', do something `like never before' and strive for
personal best. ─ Open up your mind ─ Open up your organisation
─ Be inspired by London 2012
The criteria for participation are simple; we ask that your event/s:─ Take
place between the 24-26 July 2009
─ Is non-commercial and not-for-profit ─ Does not have any
commercial sponsorship or offer any similar marketing rights - it should not
provide a business with any rights to associate with, or be given visibility at,
the event). ─ Reflect the core Olympic and Paralympic Values of:╥
Friendship╥ Determination╥ Equality╥ Inspiration╥
Courage ╥ Excellence╥ Respect─ Express the London 2012 value
of being `OPEN' through being:╥ Optimistic – the event should be positive
and forward looking╥ Proud – the event should help generate a sense of
pride╥ Engaging – the event should be easy to join in and get involved
with╥ Now - Events should consider how they will be developing a legacy
`now'

PS Anyone heading for The Agriculture Show at Builth can stop off and do the
relay race and I will time them on the stop watch!
THE MILLERS MILE CORACLE RELAY RACE
OurTeamNameis…… Our Team
Captain is……….
Contact Address……

Contact Telephone Number…… Mobile Number
E Mail………..
Team Members Names
1……. 2……. 3……….
*We are all over 18 and can swim with clothes on. Signed……
Date……..
Please find enclosed £8 entry fee (cheques made payable to Mortimers Cross Mill
Limited please)
Please return this form to Chris Partington,Mortimers Cross
Mill,Leominster,Herefordshire,HR6 9PE