Reporter: Ian Harford
For many years we've run a winter Keep Fit programme. It has provided an opportunity for SCoM members to prepare for the coming season with ski-oriented exercises and circuit training. No worries about fitness levels on the slopes for those who have attended the gym!
Recently however our long-standing trainer left the area; and because of cuts to local council grants, the George Carnell centre had its bar closed. With nowhere to meet and get a drink after the session - a key social ingredient for members - we decided to look for alternatives.
This proved difficult until we hit on the idea of a joint approach with the Chill Factore management. We explored this idea further with a local gym, which has a reputation for well thought through activities and specialises in supporting people training for long distance and marathon programmes.
The staff were interested in their gym being involved with running a Chill Factore programme, which would include where possible an individualized element to take account of the participants' own fitness levels.
In early November we put this package for running Keep Fit sessions at Chill Factore to the Head of Operations and together we identified possible locations on the site. The programme would be open to all and badged as a joint Chill Factore/SCoM project with some price reduction for our SCoM members.
The senior management at Chill Factore requires time to consider costs, equipment needed, marketing and space - and the fit in their overall programme - but agree about the potential and value to skiers. The period being considered for an initial start is January - March 2012.
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