Community Group of the Year nomination – Kidsgrove Ski Centre
Community Group of the Year nomination – Kidsgrove Ski Centre
Ski-Kidsgrove is run by a team of 65 unpaid volunteers ranging from 15 to 93 years old.
The group, also known as North Staffs Ski Club, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and has been branded one of the best indoor ski slopes in the country.
Some volunteers juggle their hours at the ski slope with holding down full-time jobs, some volunteers are retired and young instructors volunteer alongside studying at school or college.
Sarah Eccleston has nominated North Staffs Ski Club in the Community Group of the Year category of the Your Heroes Awards.
She said: “North Staffs Ski Club is situated in the heart of Kidsgrove and offers volunteer-led skills lessons, recreational ski opportunities and instructor training for young people across the county.
“From reception to boot room, cafe to inspirational ski instructors, all of these volunteers give up their precious family time to bring what is often seen as an elite middle-class sport to grassroots level for the young people of Staffordshire.
“Many people volunteer every weekend and evenings in the week including under-16s who help to coach young children. It’s a complete inspiration.”
Ann Loton, chair of the group and a member since 2003, said: “It’s really nice to have been nominated for a Your Heroes Award. We don’t do what we do to get nominations for awards, we do it because we all love skiing and being part of the community that we’ve created.
“We like to see people develop, but more importantly we like to see smiles on people’s faces. Some people had not been skiing for more than 20 years but when they come here they say how amazing their experience was when returning to the slope, that’s the reason we do what we do.”
The ski centre offers ski lessons for people aged six years and above. There are two slopes, one for teaching and the other for freestyle. They also organise residential trips overseas.
Every September the centre offers free give-it-a-go sessions to anyone with an interest in skiing.
A Daily Telegraph article in 2002 named the centre as ‘one of the best indoor slopes in the country’.
Ann added: “It’s a big landmark for us this year. In 2014, we were able to purchase land to expand our offer and to create a second slope. This meant we were able to offer more in terms of freestyle.
“We’ve got young instructors who are enthusiastic about coaching, which means when we retire. These young instructors will often be the ones who would likely lead this centre in the future.
“We are where we are because we have people that really care about skiing and they are supporting those who want to get into the sport.”