Dear All

I am writing in order to publicise a campaign set up through The Orienteering Foundation to raise funds to provide financial support to members of the GBR team taking part in the World Orienteering Championships in Norway between 12th and 17th August 2019 (WOC 2019). 

Although this campaign is focusing on one competition, the costs involved in competing at an international level do mount up over the season. Athletes need to attend World Cup events to gain ranking points, and test races in Norway to get team selection, and they now fund a significant part of their own travel, transport and accommodation when representing Britain.

Contributions to the fund are made via the Charities Aid Foundation, which has the advantage of attracting gift aid. These contributions will be split equally between those attending WOC 2019. Any monies which exceed the target amount will go to the Orienteering Foundation general fund which supports both junior and senior athletes in a variety of ways. https://www.orienteeringfoundation.org.uk/projects-funded

Our national team does a great job raising the profile of orienteering in the UK as a serious sport, promoting British orienteering abroad, and inspiring juniors who are the stars of the future or indeed, given the recent JWOC results, stars of today!  You may have seen the Get up to Speed videos and an introductory film presented by Graham Gristwood, which together have already had well over 30,000 views.  This initiative has shown how the GB athletes contribute to orienteering and continue to do so through taking on coaching and technical roles. 

It is likely to be important to keep the fund-raising theme going in future years. This could help in the lead up to WOC 2022 in Scotland when some of the successful older juniors could make the transition to senior level. It seems that this is the time they will find money is really short.

Should you wish to read more about the Orienteering Foundation and/or perhaps help to support the GBR team at WOC 2019, the link is here: