Affiliations and Memberships
The Old Vicarage Adventure Centre is recognised by the major activity governing bodies and is licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) for activities in scope.
Please see below a list of our key memberships and affiliations;
AALA
Under the Activity Centres (Young Persons' Safety) Act 1996, we are required to hold licenses for some of the activities we operate in the UK. The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority is a Government sponsored scheme which ensures that those who provide certain adventure activities to young people, under the age of 18 years, will have their safety management systems inspected. We have passed all our AALA inspections and have been awarded the following licenses:
• Kayaking
• Open Canoeing
• Rock Climbing (single pitch)
• Abseiling (single pitch)
www.hse.gov.uk/aala/
AAIAC Adventure Activities Industry Advisory Committee
The Old Vicarage Adventure Centre Ltd are required by law to hold an AALA Licence for the activities that they provide commercially to young people. However, a great many activities (and providers) are not covered by AALA e.g. providers working with adults and families, providers who deliver out of scope activities, providers delivering in scope activities in a low risk environment. The Adventuremark badge confirms that the holder, The Old Vicarage Adventure Centre Ltd, conforms to the necessary standards of good practice in all these situations.
The Adventure Activities Industry Advisory Committee (AAIAC) is supported by CCPR and SkillsActive. The AAIAC is representative of a wide range of stakeholders from the adventure activity sector. It works with the industry to identify and disseminate good practice, and to advise government and its agencies accordingly. For more information please visit their website.
British Canoe Union
We are a BCU approved centre and run many canoeing/kayaking training courses designed to give you the foundation skills in canoeing or kayaking and the varied types of paddle sport to advanced coaching qualifications.
British Mountaineering Council
We are a mountain leader training England (MLTE) registered course provider for Climbing Wall Awards and Single Pitch Awards.
The increasing popularity of off-ground activities; zip wire and high ropes, highlights the importance of our associate membership to the British Mountaineering Council. Through this body, we hear about the latest safety and training advice and developments in technical standards.
British Horse Society
Being a BHS approved Riding School helps us to provide better safety and standards for riders at our equestrian centre, Country Treks.
Annual inspections enable us to continually implement new BHS standards and keep the school in great shape. Riders can feel comfortable that the school meets exacting standards and is amongst some of the best in the country.
Career Transition Partnership
In 2009, many of our courses including the Outdoor Instructor Academy training course gained status as a preferred supplier to the career transition partnership. This and other training courses that we offer can help personnel who are leaving or who have left the Armed Forces prepare for their future career.
Learning Outside the Classroom
The Old Vicarage Adventure Centre holds a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge that is a nationally recognised benchmark that brings together all existing safety and quality badges into one easily identifiable mark of quality. The Quality Badge makes it easier for teaching professionals to organise LOtC activities by helping them to identify organisations providing good quality LOtC activities, reducing paperwork and red tape.
The Quality Badge is awarded to organisations which have pledged to engage in an ongoing process to sustain good-quality learning outside the classroom and have demonstrated that they meet six quality indicators. These indicators show 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; and
6. has safety management processes in place to manage risk effectively.
MLTE
We are a mountain leader training England (MLTE) registered course provider for Climbing Wall Awards (CWA) and Single Pitch Awards (SPA) and assessments.
The aim of the Board is to provide nationally recognised training and assessment schemes for leaders of groups participating in mountain walking and single pitch rock climbing. Their schemes are recognised by the Department of Children, Schools and Families and the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority.
The Board administers the Mountain Leader award (ML), the Single Pitch award (SPA), the Climbing Wall Award (CWA) and the Walking Group Leader award (WGL). The Board also approves some 180 Providers to deliver these schemes. All MLTE courses are designed to teach the skills required to lead groups on the mountains, hills and crags of the UK. Great emphasis is put on learning by practical experience that naturally leads to self-confidence and competence.
Rescue 3 Europe / International
All swift water rescue courses at our adventure centre are administered by Rescue 3 Europe and whose courses are the only internationally recognised white water rescue courses. Training courses are valid for three years and upon completion students receive a certificate, ID card, badge and skill sheets co-signed by themselves and the instructor. A copy of this is sent to Rescue 3 UK and Rescue 3 International in the USA who then enter the student onto their database.
The centre owner (Anthony) has over 20 years experience in swift and white water environments. As a professional Kayak Coach with a passion for global kayaking this has taken him to extreme locations and conditions all over the world, including expedition work, the first descents of rivers, and working as a professional river guide and rescue technician and as a technical advisor to a variety of agencies. This passion for safety and working in this white water environment has led to the Old Vicarage Adventure Centre being one of the few external training venues in the UK offering these courses and the only training provider for the Himalayas including India, Nepal and Bhutan.
Organisiations we have provided training courses for include: South Wales Police, UK Fire & Rescue teams, the Irish Fisheries Board, Shetland Airport Rescue, Severn Area Rescue Association and Mountain Rescue teams across the UK.
National Navigation Award Scheme
The National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) have awarded The Old Vicarage Adventure Centre Ltd approval to deliver NNAS Award levels Bronze and Silver. As part of the Outdoor Instructor Training Academy students will have the opportunity to complete their Bronze or Silver Navigator award as an extra weekend option at an additional cost.
The National Navigation Award Scheme is progressive. Navigator Awards cover the full range of skills needed for navigation in all terrain types enabling you to plan your walks, cycle rides or journeys in remote environments. The NNAS has three levels. Each level of proficiency is taught as a self-contained unit. Completion of a level is validated to a national standard and recognised by a badge and certificate.