http://www.action-centers.co.ukAny Action Center News will be posted hereiWeb Solutionshttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssenThu, 12 August 2010Thu, 12 August 2010kings-park/special-offers.phpWe are offering 50% off a late availability weekend stay here at King's Park Conference Centre:- 10th-12th September 2010 We are offering this discount to groups of between 50 and 120 on a first come first served basis, subject to availability. For further information or to make a booking, please contact a member of our team on (01604) 493111/797908 or by email at kingspark@actioncentres.co.uk Thu, 12 August 2010kings-park/special-offers.phpKing's Park Conference Centre are offering fantastic savings for residential groups throughout the whole of 2010. When attending conferences and retreats with their parents/carers the prices for children are as follows:- 8 - 16 years 25% reduction 4 - 7 years 50% reduction under 4's are free. For further information and to make a booking, please contact a member of our team on (01604) 493111 or by email at kingspark@actioncentres.co.uk Mon, 09 August 2010kings-park/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=If you are looking to bring a group of less than 100 people to our centre, we only have a few weekends left in 2010 where we can accommodate you, see below. Do contact us as quickly as possible to secure the dates you want. 10th-12th September up to 120 (50% off) 19th-21st November up to 65 26th-28th November up to 120 10th-12th December up to 105 (20% discount available) 17th-19th December up to 50 (20% discount available) We may have further availability for midweek bookings. For further information or to make a booking, please contact a member of our team on (01604) 493111/797908 or by email at kingspark@actioncentres.co.uk Mon, 09 August 2010kings-park/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=It can be difficult to get the dates you want, with more and more groups coming back year after year, currently 70% of our bookings come from previous users, who often book 12 to 18 months in advance, why not beat the rush and get the dates you want by booking for 2011/12 now. Remember we are offering 20% off January, February and December dates and sometimes have late availability that we offer at discounted prices; see the special offers section. For further information, check availability or to make a booking, please contact a member of our team on (01604) 493111/797908 or email us at kingspark@actioncentres.co.uk Mon, 09 August 2010kings-park/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=As many of our regular customers already know, Kings Park Conference Centre has undertaken an ambitious project to increase its capacity in response to rising demand. The first phase of the project, costing in the region of £1.6 million pounds, has seen the number of en-suite bedrooms at the centre rise to 95. This increased capacity not only means that we can accommodate larger groups, but it has also significantly increased the number of single rooms on offer. Midweek groups are now able to have single rooms at no extra cost, whilst the single room supplement for weekend residential groups has been reduced from 50% to just 20%. For those high tech people amongst you, phase one of the expansion has also seen a significant increase in internet access throughout the centre. Phase two of Kings Parks expansion will see a brand new 300 seat conference room built as well as the extension of our kitchen and dining room, giving our groups even more space and comfort. Please keep checking our website for news of our fundraising efforts for phase two of our expansion programme. Should anybody have any questions about this project, please call a member of our management team on (01604) 493111 or email us at kingspark@actioncentres.co.uk Mon, 09 August 2010kings-park/special-offers.phpThroughout the months of January, February & December 2010/11, residential groups of more than 30 people can enjoy a 20% reduction in the full adult price. December 2010 weekend dates available. 17th-19th up to 50 guests 31st-1st up to 50 guests December 2010 midweek dates available. 6th-10th up to 40 guests 13th-16th upt to 125 guests 20th-23rd up to 50 guests January 2011 weekend dates available. 7th-9th up to 150 guests 21st-23rd up to 50 guests 22nd-23rd up tp 100 guests January 2011 midweek dates available. 3rd-7th up to 50 guests 12th-14th up to 50 guests 17th-20th up to 150 guests 24th-28th up to 150 guests February 2011 weekend dates available. 4th-6th up to 50 guests 25th-27th up to 50 guests February 2011 midweek dates available 31st Jan-4th Feb up to 150 guests 7th-11th up to 150 guests 14th-18th up to 120 guests 21st-23rd up to 110 guests December 2011 weekend dates available. 2nd-4th up to 150 guests 9th-11th up to 150 guests 16th-18th up to 150 guests December 2011 midweek dates available. 6th-9th up to 150 guests 12th-16th up to 150 guests 19th-23rd up to 150 guests For further information or to make a booking, please contact a member of our team on (01604) 493111/797908 or by email at kingspark@actioncentres.co.uk Mon, 09 August 2010kings-park/special-offers.phpThis discount applies to groups of youngsters numbering between 20 and 150, between the ages of 8 to 20, within the months of June to August. We are offering 1 free adult place for every 14 young people. Unfortunately we are fully booked for weekends in this period, but do think about booking ahead for 2011, while we still have good availability. If you are looking for midweek dates in this period we have the following availability: - 23rd-27th August up to 50 guests We also have a few part weeks available. For further information or to make a booking, please contact a member of our team on (01604) 493111/797908 or by email at kingspark@actioncentres.co.uk Mon, 09 August 2010kings-park/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=If you are looking to bring a large group of between 100 and 150 people to our centre, we only have 3 weekends left in 2010 where we can accommodate you, see below. Do contact us as quickly as possible to secure the dates you want. Bookings for 120 or more adults will secure sole use of our centre. September 10th-12th (50% off our normal price) November 26th-28th December 10th-12th (20% off our normal price) We have further availability for midweek or smaller weekend group bookings, so do ring or email on the numbers below. For further information or to make a booking, please contact a member of our team on (01604) 493111/797908 or by email at kingspark@actioncentres.co.uk Mon, 09 August 2010kingsParkTennisCentre/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=CAMP 1: 26th-30th July Mini Tennis & Multi-Sports Camp, 3-10 yr olds, 10am - 12noon daily. £6 per day. Camp 2: 2nd - 6th August Mini Red Coaching Course for 6 - 8 yr olds.10am-11am Mini Orange Coaching Course for 7-9 yr olds. 11am - 12noon Mini Green Coaching Course for 8-10 yr olds. 12noon-1pm Gold Group Coaching Course for 11-15 yr olds. 1pm-3pm £25 for 5 day Red, Orange or Green course (Gold £50) CAMP 3: 9th - 13th August Junior Tennis & Multi-Sports Camp for 11-15 yr olds 10am-1pm/2pm-5pm/All day £9 for half day/£18 for full day (daily cost) CAMP 4: 16th - 20th August Mini Red Coaching Course for 6 - 8 yr olds.10am-11am Mini Orange Coaching Course for 7-9 yr olds. 11am - 12noon Mini Green Coaching Course for 8-10 yr olds. 12noon-1pm Gold Group Coaching Course for 11-15 yr olds. 1pm-3pm £25 for 5 day Red, Orange or Green course (Gold £50) CAMP 5: 23rd - 27th August Mini Tennis & Multi-Sports Camp, 3-10 yr olds, 10am - 12noon daily. £6 per day. Download an enrolment form from the DOWNLOAD section or telephone 01604 797900 to book your child's place. Alternatively email isabelharlow@actioncentres.co.uk Mon, 26 July 2010benhamSportsArena/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=This summer Benham offers you 16 sports for all the family to enjoy. Open from 9am to 10pm Monday to Saturday why not spend some quality time together having fun and keeping fit. There are organised sessions taking place too: Roller skating will continue every Saturday morning from 10am - 11:45am as in term time. You will also be able to skate every weekday from 2pm - 4pm. With skates for hire, music and refreshments in Cafe Benham its a great way to spend the afternoon. Look out for information on our Junior Roller Skating Club which offers reduced rates for all members and is free to join! If you are looking to try a new sport or have the energy for a full day of activities then come along from Monday 16th - Friday 20th August for the Benham Summer Camps. Choose an individual session for £8 or stay for a full day of 3 sessions for £20. Sports include climbing, archery, skating, quick cricket, unihoc, football and basketball. For more details call 01604 494100Fri, 23 July 2010benhamSportsArena/special-offers.phpThis summer Benham offers you 16 sports for all the family to enjoy. Open from 9am to 10pm Monday to Saturday why not spend some quality time together having fun and keeping fit. There are organised sessions taking place too: Roller skating will continue every Saturday morning from 10am - 11:45am as in term time. You will also be able to skate every weekday from 2pm - 4pm. With skates for hire, music and refreshments in Cafe Benham its a great way to spend the afternoon. Look out for information on our Junior Roller Skating Club which offers reduced rates for all members and is free to join! If you are looking to try a new sport or have the energy for a full day of activities then come along from Monday 16th - Friday 20th August for the Benham Summer Camps. Choose an individual session for £8 or stay for a full day of 3 sessions for £20. Sports include climbing, archery, skating, quick cricket, unihoc, football and basketball. For more details call 01604 494100Fri, 23 July 2010kings-park/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=We are keen to make your stay as rewarding as possible. As part of our service to our user groups we are happy to offer our PR team to help raise the profile of your group during your stay. If you are interested in discussing this please contact our PR Manager on 01604 499699Fri, 28 May 2010kingsParkTennisCentre/special-offers.phpFor just £20 per person/month you will be entitled to unlimited use of the outdoor clay courts. Members will also be invited to attend our weekly club nights. The offer runs throughout the summer from 1 May to 30 September. To join call 01604 797900 or email tennisoffice@actioncentres.co.ukTue, 20 April 2010kingsParkTennisCentre/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=For just £20 per person/month you will be entitled to unlimited use of the outdoor clay courts. Members will also be invited to attend our weekly club nights. The offer runs throughout the summer from 1 May to 30 September. To join call 01604 797900 or email tennisoffice@actioncentres.co.ukTue, 20 April 2010pioneer-centre/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=After a generous doantion from a charitable trust Pioneer Centre's salad/fruit bar has grown in size and looks fantastic making the choice of adding some fruit or salad to you main course a more attractive option. We have fresh fruit available all day whilst the dining room is open and take our responsibility of encouraging our guests to eat their 5-a-day seriously. We feel sure these new serveries will make all the difference to the quality feel our guests experience in the dining room at Pioneer Centre.Fri, 26 February 2010benhamSportsArena/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=We are offering local schools the opportunity to try out 4 exciting sporting opportunities. Benham Rock - 'State of the art' indoor climbing wall. Archery - develop new skills & learn something of the history of this ancient sport. Tennis - experience first class coaching at this L.T.A. approved centre - indoor & outdoor courts. Trampolining - at the home of the British Olympic Squad For further information about this offer please contact a member of our team on (01604) 494100 or email benham@actioncentres.co.uk Wed, 24 February 2010pioneer-centre/special-offers.phpIf your school have never used Pioneer Centre before, you want to know what all the fuss is about and need to jsutify trying somewhere new to your Head and Board of Govenors, this just cannot be missed! Come away on a Pioneer PLUS course 26-28 or 28-30 April 2010 for only £75 + VAT per person (min 24 people). A reduction of £20!! Everything included except transport for £75 - places limited so call now on 01299 271217.Fri, 12 February 2010pioneer-centre/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=Pioneer Centre in Cleobury Mortimer will be enjoying clean, renewable energy after having new solar panels fitted to its roof. The Pioneer Centre, which has been on the site for the last 19 years, teamed up with EZsolar, who spent four days installing the panels. The potential saving to the Pioneer Centre is 12,000 kwh - kilowatt hours - a year. To put this in to context an average home will use between 2,500 to 3,000 kwh to provide all its hot water for a year. Assistance and funding for the system was provided through the Marches Energy Agency and Shropshire Council's Low Carbon Communities for Business project, funded by the Rural Regeneration Zone, which supports low carbon initiatives in business. Business development manager Steve Robertshaw said: "There is a lot of local support for renewable energy projects in South Shropshire and The Marches and with the Government funding assistance the Pioneer Centre was able to seriously consider solar panel installation." "This all coincided with a rebuild project of a two storey, 92 bed accommodation lodge. It was therefore possible to build the solar water heating system in at the design stage rather than being a retro-fit, which is a very economical option." The new building has a perfect south facing roof with a good clear aspect to capture all available energy from the sun. An Important role As the amount of water used during peak times is 800 to 1,000 litres - and the solar system enables up to 1,000 litres of hot water to be available anywhere in the building at short notice - it means all energy gained through the solar panels is used to minimise the centre’s gas consumption. "For many years we at the Pioneer Centre have been concerned about the important role we play in the education and development of the thousands of young people we welcome each year," said Mr Robertshaw. "Renewable energy has to be part of their future. The school residential is one of the most memorable experience most of us have of our time at school." "If we can make sure they know the hot water they used whilst here was heated by the sun and it was no big deal then hopefully they will consider seriously this option for themselves in the future as adults." "As adults ourselves most of us are stuck with what we already have and may be reluctant to change, but today's young people are tomorrow's adults." The Pioneer Centre welcomes almost 19,000 guests each year. Most of these require hot water at the same time every day so having a large scale system, which stores water heated by solar energy, makes sense. "For centres like ours funding will always be a big issue when considering a project," said Mr Robertshaw. "I am not aware there are many centres across the country that have incorporated renewable energy technology into their buildings." "It made great sense to us as we were able to incorporate it into a new build and funding assistance was available for help too." "Certainly anyone needing to replace an old, failing heating or hot water system and has a cost to bear anyway, or a centre with a new build project planned should seriously consider renewable energy technology." "Fossil fuels will only increase in price so anything that can be done to reduce this cost can only be a good thing." The Pioneer Centre has been running outdoor activities from Cleobury Mortimer for the last 19 years. From the 1930s the Centre was run by Coventry City Council as Wyre Farm School whose first visitors were a group of children evacuated to escape the wartime bombing of Coventry. In 1991 NAYC bought the site and the Pioneer Centre opened its doors, offering residential groups of any age the chance to explore the countryside and take part in over 30 activities including archery, rock climbing, canoeing, circus skills, fencing, bridge building and dance, in a state of the art facility complete with a team of over 50 instructors and on site staff. For more information about the centre call 01299 271217. For information about EZSolar call Andy Perkins on 01299 270011, or visit www.ezsolar.co.ukThu, 14 January 2010benhamSportsArena/special-offers.phpWe are offering local schools the opportunity to try out 4 exciting sporting opportunities. Benham Rock - 'State of the art' indoor climbing wall. Archery - develop new skills & learn something of the history of this ancient sport. Tennis - experience first class coaching at this L.T.A. approved centre - indoor & outdoor courts. Trampolining - at the home of the British Olympic Squad For further information about this offer please contact a member of our team on (01604) 494100 or email benham@actioncentres.co.uk Thu, 19 November 2009kingsParkTennisCentre/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=We are offering local schools the opportunity to try out 4 exciting sporting opportunities. Benham Rock - 'State of the art' indoor climbing wall. Archery - develop new skills & learn something of the history of this ancient sport. Tennis - experience first class coaching at this L.T.A. approved centre - indoor & outdoor courts. Trampolining - at the home of the British Olympic Squad. For further information about this offer please contact a member of our team on (01604) 494100 or email benham@actioncentres.co.uk Mon, 24 August 2009kingsParkTennisCentre/special-offers.phpWe are offering local schools the opportunity to try out 4 exciting sporting opportunities. Benham Rock - 'State of the art' indoor climbing wall. Archery - develop new skills & learn something of the history of this ancient sport. Tennis - experience first class coaching at this L.T.A. approved centre - indoor & outdoor courts. Trampolining - at the home of the British Olympic Squad. For further information about this offer please contact a member of our team on (01604) 494100 or email benham@actioncentres.co.uk Mon, 24 August 2009pioneer-centre/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=The Manifesto for Learning Outside the Classroom partnership believe that every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances. The Quality Badge is awarded to providers who have pledged to engage in an ongoing process to sustain high-quality learning outside the classroom and who have demonstrated that they meet six quality indicators. The provider: 1/ Has a process in place to assist users to plan the learning experience effectively; 2/ Provides accurate information about its offer; 3/ Provides activities, experience or resources which meet learner needs; 4/ Reviews the experience and acts on feedback; 5/ Meets the needs of the users; 6/ And has safety management processes in place to manage risk effectively. Adventure activities include: Climbing - for example rock climbing, abseiling, ice climbing, gorge walking, ghyll scrambling, sea level traversing, high- and low-level ropes courses Watersports - for example canoeing, kayaking, dragon boating, wave skiing, white-water rafting, improvised rafting, sailing, sailboarding, windsurfing Trekking - for example hill-walking, mountaineering, fell-running, orienteering, pony trekking, off-road cycling, off-piste skiing Caving - for example caving, pot-holing, mine exploration Challenges and Skills - for example archery, quad bikes, assault courses, mountain boarding, initiative exercises. Depending on the environment in which they take place, some of the adventure activities listed are subject to licensing, under the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 1996. However, not all adventure providers are required to hold a licence. Activity centres with an artificial climbing wall, for example, do not need a licence for that specific activity, though their instructors would still need an appropriate qualification or training to lead the activity. Many centres outside the scope of licensing submit to non-statutory inspection and accreditation. Learning opportunities: Risk awareness - the knowledge that risks can be identified and managed increases confidence about new or uncertain situations. Personal and social development - gearing activities for success allows for the development of self-confidence and self-esteem. Citizenship - learning how to support, lead and follow, being a team player, developing social skills and a sense of community and responsibility New ideas for physical exercise - alternatives to ball sports and team games Connection with the natural environment - a developed awareness of green issues. Recreation - fun and enjoyment, stress relief, purposeful leisure. An activity course can be directed at the Outdoor & Adventurous Activity targets of the PE Curriculum, but it can also meet many of the requirements of the Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education agenda.Thu, 14 May 2009pioneer-centre/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=Every pupil at every school coming to Pioneer Centre on a Pioneer PLUS package during 2008 had a go at building the highest crate tower on their high ropes session. The same rules applied to everyone and times were strictly adeared to so no cheating could happen. The lure of a free activity day for their school certainly caught the imagination and fierce competition ensued. Everyone thought that Uplands Primary had it in the bag with 23 crates from their stay at the beginning of June. Then Studley came along on very nearly the last Pioneer PLUS course in October with just one more crate. If you fancy a FREE activity day for your school join us on one of our 2009 Pioneer PLUS courses, we'll be running a different competion but the prize will be the same. Call us NOW to see what dates we have left on 01299 271217.Fri, 20 March 2009pioneer-centre/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=Pioneer Centre's 'Living Wild' programme, delivered in conjunction with the Forestry Commisions Forest School Team at the Wyre Forest, helps schools address the 'Every Child Matters' agenda of... Being healthy Staying safe Enjoying and achieving and Making a positive contribution. Many Primary Schools now have a 'skills based curriculum' or are trying to develop one. At Pioneer Centre we can develop... Vital creative thinking Problem Solving Self-awareness Empathy and Evaluation skills on our 'Living Wild' residential programme. This programme is a unique and imaginative combination of bushcraft, Forest School, environmental education and conservation. To find out more follow the menu on this website under 'activities' or call Emma and ask for a full information pack. Through the feedback we have already had from schools who have attended a 'Living Wild' course we truley believe this can leave a lasting impact on the lives of today's children. Experiencing is believing, call us today on 01299 271217.Tue, 21 October 2008pioneer-centre/news-and-offers-more.php?nid=West Mercia Constabulary call-centre staff have recently completed a series of training days, which have helped improve the quality of service they provide to callers across Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. Over 150 police staff benefited from the one day training sessions at Pioneer Centre. Staff took part in challenges that tested and developed their skills of working together, problem solving, communication skills and leadership abilities. These skills aim to help staff effectively manage large volumes of calls and work together more effectively. David Mack from Trinity CPD Training Ltd, who facilitated the training said "These training days really challenge those who attend and draw people out of their comfort zones. Once they complete the challenge and overcome their fear of heights, for example, they start to think and behave more positively. Their success makes them more inclined to try other challenges and will make them feel more confident about tacklng issues at work". Fri, 01 December 2006