Elland Christmas Cracker Event

Planner's Comments

Firstly thanks to you all for turning out and the positive comments that I received at the finish. We nearly cancelled yesterday but in the end I'm glad that you brave souls were able to enjoy orienteering in the snow and briefly in the sunshine as well.

I sincerely hope that you all managed to get home safely - Carla and I had to abandon our camper van on the hill in Greetland and walk the last mile and a half to Norland!

Thanks to Judith Wood of PFO for her helpful controlling and journeying over the Pennines in awful weather to do it.

Thanks to everyone who helped, especially Carla, Phil Thompson and Dave Wakeford for donning the Santa suits, to Brian Mellor, the unflappable organiser, for the way he coped with lots of late changes, and to Mike Pownall for all his help on the technical side before and at the event.

Thanks to all the landowners, above all Mrs Wheelwright (the central area of fields) for making sure the highland cattle were in the barn for the duration of the event (when I was out planning they assumed I was bringing food and got very frisky).

My thanks also go to Wimbourne Orienteers for being able to crib the basic concept of the event from their Boxing Day Canter, which I've enjoyed a few times in the New Forest.

Have a Merry Christmas and a happy, peaceful and injury-free New Year!

Dick Spendlove