Giving back to nature is a social good, get on board and clean up!

Picture courtesy of Nuno @ Magic Moments

Last Saturday morning I woke with a murky head and once out of the van was greeted with an enthusiastic stoked on life Nuno and his gang with plastic bags and gloves they recruited myself and some fellow campers to help do a litter pick and help keep their local environment beautiful.

I think, this would type of event on a monthly basis would be good for my home town of Mumbles as it is in need of being kept pretty.

Anyway I got speaking to Nuno and said that this would be a great project to run at most of the places I had stopped at on my road trip for a nights free stay in a car park simply do an hours litter picking with the local crew.  

Here is the info that nuno has sent through for me on the clean up operation  > Hello Simon! Thanks for your important help on Saturday. In the total there were 17 adult volunteers, one lifeguard, (from which 6 are from the autocaravans), plus 2 children. We have cleaned more than 900 kg of garbage. For more information on getting involved in sagres checkout their blog > magic moments blog 

About a boy.

I read this fantastic piece last week and forgot to blog about it. Going through the papers this morning I found it at the bottom of the re-cycle bag, re-read it and then looked for the link on the web for you guys to read here is the first paragraph followed by a link to the rest of this article.

Surfing is for everyone, Surf GSD and I believe that surfing can help build positive outcomes among our communities.

About a boy

Born with a rare syndrome that left him profoundly autistic, seven-year-old Luke was trapped in his own body. But then his dad took him surfing. By Paul Solotaroff

Paul Solotaroff
Sunday December 3, 2006

Observer

On the patio of the house I've moved out of, my soon-to-be ex-wife dribbles a ball, counting down the time. 'Five seconds, four...' Elaine sets her feet and heaves a shot that bows the plastic rim before rattling off. I rebound her miss off the backboard. Luke, our seven-year-old only child, stares at me, befuddled. He isn't used to seeing me in his mother's yard, almost two years after our separation, and is even less used to seeing us horse around as if those years, and the last few of our 11-year marriage, hadn't been deadly. But it's the first mild evening of a belated spring, and Elaine and I are gamely making an effort. Not merely to get on better, but to draw him out of the house, where he is more and more the hostage of his disorder.   Click here for rest of article  SURFING.

Schools sign up to fitness and fun

Today, GSD attended the launch of the scheme 5 times 60 scheme as detailed below. SurfGSD for the last two years has been working on a pilot scheme with Gowerton comp' which has been so successful it is going to be expanded to other schools and therefore increasing 'social opportunity' as regards to surfing to more areas in Swansea. I had a chat with the Deputy Lord Mayor Mr Ioan Richards and he confessed to being a keen surfer!  Look out Britain, looks like Swansea is truly going to be a force in surfing.

City and County of Swansea
Website URL : http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=14983        Tuesday 5 December 2006

Schools sign up to fitness and fun

Rock-climbing, surfing and orienteering will be among the activities pupils from three Swansea Secondary Schools will be able to get a taste of with the launch of a new activity programme.
Menter Iaith - surfing Menter Iaith - surfing

On Tuesday, pupils from Dylan Thomas, Gowerton and Pontarddulais schools will get together as the 5 x 60 programme kicks off in Swansea.

5 x 60 is a national physical activity programme designed by the Sports Council for Wales in partnership with Swansea Council's 5x60 officers, Rhian Horlock, Lyndsay Cole and Sarah Mccoubrey, and Swansea schools.

The programme echoes the success of the UK-wide five-a-day fruit and vegetable campaign and it's hoped as many schools as possible will join in.

The programme encourages young people to get involved in regular physical activity, roughly one hour, five days a week, whatever their ability.

This could be through traditional competitive sporting opportunities such as lunch time football or netball league or non-competitive sports such as walking, Frisbee, cheer-leading, swimming, aerobics, street dance or Boxercise.

If team sports aren't your thing, outdoor activities such as surfing, mountain walking, orienteering and cycling are also a fun way to get fit.

Swansea Council Cabinet Member for Education, Mike Day said, "The main point of the programme is to encourage young people to get involved activities they enjoy. By teaming up on the 5x60 programme, the Sports Council for Wales, schools and Council officers are helping to ensure that young people are more likely to continue with physical activity on a regular basis."

Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation and Tourism, Gerald Clement said, "There are a huge range of opportunities for young people to take part in physical recreation in Swansea. The 5 x 60 campaign highlights to young people that if you can get fit and have fun, even if you aren't a fan of traditional competitive sports. Starting young is a key way to ensure a healthy lifestyle."

The main benefits offered by 5 x 60 are:

* A fun, safe environment in which young people can achieve success at their own level and pace
* A young person centred approach 
* Motivation to enjoy taking part, without judgement about ability
* Recognition for their achievement and encouragement to progress to regular and frequent physical activity

© 2006 City and County of Swansea, County Hall, Oystermouth Road, Swansea SA1 3SN. Telephone: Fax: