Octavian Droobers
Encyclopedia
Octavian Droobers, often abbreviated to OD, is an Orienteering
club in the United Kingdom. The membership area of the club is Warwickshire
, Coventry
and Solihull
including the Warwickshire towns of Atherstone, Nuneaton, Bedworth, Rugby, Royal Leamington Spa, Kenilworth, Warwick, Alcester, Henley in Arden, Southam, Wellesbourne and Stratford Upon Avon. The club is a member of the West Midlands Orienteering Association (WMOA) http://www.wmoa.org.uk/ and the British Orienteering Federation (BOF
).
The club has been Clubmark accredited. and currently has around 250 members, ranging from complete novices to international level orienteers.
It is governed by a formal constitution which states the official club name and affiliations and also the voting rights at the AGM.
(venue for 2008 Compass Sport Cup Final). Other nationally acclaimed venues are the University of Warwick
campus (2008 British Sprint Championships) and Warwick
town centre and castle
(2010 nopesport urban league final). At the other end of the spectrum are the numerous small areas used for local events such as Abbey Fields in Kenilworth
and Wainbody Wood in Coventry
.
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
club in the United Kingdom. The membership area of the club is Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
and Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
including the Warwickshire towns of Atherstone, Nuneaton, Bedworth, Rugby, Royal Leamington Spa, Kenilworth, Warwick, Alcester, Henley in Arden, Southam, Wellesbourne and Stratford Upon Avon. The club is a member of the West Midlands Orienteering Association (WMOA) http://www.wmoa.org.uk/ and the British Orienteering Federation (BOF
British Orienteering Federation
The British Orienteering Federation, sometimes branded British Orienteering, is the national sports governing body for the sport of orienteering in the United Kingdom. The federation was founded in June 1967, and is a member of the IOF...
).
The club has been Clubmark accredited. and currently has around 250 members, ranging from complete novices to international level orienteers.
Origins
The club came into being on the evening of Sunday October 24, 1965 courtesy of Ted Norrish, the then classics master at King Henry VIII School, Coventry. Initially as a school only club, but soon extending to take in members from outside the school, leading the way to the club becoming what it is today.Club colours and kit
The club colours are the red, yellow and black of King Henry VIII School, and the distinctive club banner is to be seen at many events. The club also has a variety of distinctive O tops based on these colours.Governance
The club is run by Committee, which is elected each year at the AGM in October.It is governed by a formal constitution which states the official club name and affiliations and also the voting rights at the AGM.
Events
The club stages a wide variety of events throughout the year.- Saturday morning events are held approximately twice a month from September to March. These are held on small areas of woodlands, country and local parks, and are suitable for beginners and experienced orienteers.
- Wednesday evening events are staged most weeks from April to August. Again these are suitable for beginners and experienced orienteers, with the results contributing to a club summer league.
- Higher profile events are organised to fit in to the regional and national fixtures calendar. These are held on the club's better areas with technically challenging courses for the experienced orienteer, although still providing simpler courses for newcomers to the sport.
Mapped areas
The club has mapped a large number of areas over the years, probably just about every park and wooded area suitable for an orienteering event within its geographic boundary. The club's best areas are Bentley Woods (venue for past Midlands Championships and British Night Championships) and Sutton ParkSutton Park
Sutton Park, in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England, is one of the largest urban parks in Europe and the largest outside a capital city; it is larger than Richmond Park in London....
(venue for 2008 Compass Sport Cup Final). Other nationally acclaimed venues are the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
campus (2008 British Sprint Championships) and Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
town centre and castle
Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle is a medieval castle in Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire, England. It sits on a bend on the River Avon. The castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 within or adjacent to the Anglo-Saxon burh of Warwick. It was used as a fortification until the early 17th century,...
(2010 nopesport urban league final). At the other end of the spectrum are the numerous small areas used for local events such as Abbey Fields in Kenilworth
Kenilworth
Kenilworth is a town in central Warwickshire, England. In 2001 the town had a population of 22,582 . It is situated south of Coventry, north of Warwick and northwest of London....
and Wainbody Wood in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
.
Permanent courses
A number of the areas mapped by the club now have permanent courses on them:- Coombe Country ParkCoombe Country ParkCoombe Country Park is a country park located in Warwickshire, England. Although the park is geographically in Warwickshire, it is only a few miles to the east of Coventry and is managed by Coventry City Council. The park has been developed from the grounds of an old abbey, the buildings of which...
http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/environment/land-and-premises/parks-and-recreation/coombe-country-park/ - Kingsbury Water ParkKingsbury Water ParkKingsbury Water Park is a country park in north Warwickshire, England, not far from Birmingham and lying on the River Tame. It is owned and managed by Warwickshire County Council. It has fifteen lakes situated in over 600 acres of country park. It is renowned for its birdlife, and is popular with...
http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/D33FC76C03246E3580256B740045C34B - (list needs to be completed)
Club competitions
- The Club Championships are held every year to find individual champions in a range of age categories. Winners receive a trophy (held for the year) and a miniature orienteering banner.
- The Tony Haw Memorial Cup is awarded to the leading club member on a handicap basis at the score event held annually to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Trust. The cup was donated in 2002 by Ginny and Debbie Haw.
Club awards
The Club awards three trophies annually:- The Ted Norrish trophy, donated by the club's founder, and awarded to a member who has made an outstanding contribution during the year. This can be based on outstanding competition results, service to the club or a combination of both.
- Bob's Dad's Trophy, donated by the late Bob Carey Senior, to be awarded to the club junior member who has achieved the most outstanding result or set of results during the year, particularly in respect of such events as the JK and British Championships.
- The Jennifer Haw Trophy, donated by the Haw family in memory of junior club member Jennifer who died in 1995. Awarded to the club junior member who accumulates the most points across all the events in the West Midlands League during the course of the year.
Club honours board
In recent years the club has won a number of prestigious national competitions:- Compass Sport Cup - 2005, 2006, 2007
- Yvette BakerYvette BakerYvette Baker is Britain's most successful orienteer. At the 1999 World Orienteering Championships in Inverness she won the short distance event.- Biography :...
Trophy - 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 - Harvester Relay Trophy - 2004
- Peter Palmer Junior Team Relay - 2009