News

Freemove Parkour Roadshow 20th – 24th May 2013

Freemove are hosting a week long ‘Parkour Roadshow’ to showcase their new portfolio of Parkour equipment during a nationwide roadshow running every day between May 20-24.

Cardiff 20th May 2013  |  Oxford 21st May 2013  |  Birmingham 22nd May 2013  |  Leeds 23rd May 2013  |  Glasgow 24th May 2013

Be amongst the first to try out their innovative products that enable an indoor, challenging Parkour experience with their new modular portable equipment.

Bring your trainers and try out Freemove’s amazing Indoor and Outdoor Equipment! They’ll be holding demonstrations, workshops and free training (indoor and outdoor) open to absolutely anyone, so get along, meet the Freemove team and the local parkour communities. Spaces are limited, so early booking is advised using the links above^. More information can be found on their Roadshow Event page.

Spring Parkour Gathering – Spring Thing, May 25-26

This year’s inaugural Spring gathering event, by affiliate organisation Parkour Generations – Spring Thing – is just around the corner, happening on May 25-26 in the incredible Peak District.

The event is organised by Parkour Generations, Spring Thing is a combination of camping, climbing and Parkour training over two full days over the May Bank Holiday weekend. The event costs only £65, which includes the campsite fee, and will be coached by Parkour UK Qualified & Licensed Level 2 coaches from Parkour Generations and a fully qualified climbing instructor.

Click here for more details for an event we heartily recommend.

Affiliate shortlisted for Creative Business of the Year Award

The BIBA Awards is Lancashire’s leading and biggest awards and Parkour UK affiliate, Street Monkeys have been shortlisted in the ‘Creative Business of the Year’ category. They will be judged on their Parkour/Freerunning display, their Parkour Academy which they are due to launch in the near future and also how they have developed these into a business. They will need to show how they will be sustainable in the future and what they aim to achieve in the next 3 years. One of the key reasons they applied was to demonstrate that it isn’t just ‘normal’ and ‘ordinary’ businesses that can win business awards, they want to demonstrate that investing in young people and new emerging activities is the future. If they win they are hoping to show local councils that the future of a positive and active UK depends on investment in things like Parkour.

Street Monkeys Director Sean Delaney, who invested in the Street Monkeys two years ago said:

“At first I saw a lot of media coverage about how the freerunners were  apparently anti social, So I decided to invest a bit of my time and money into them to give them an opportunity to prove the media wrong. Never did I think that 2 years down the line we would have done some of the things we have and to be shortlisted as one of the best business in Lancashire is a credit to all the hard work everyone in the team has put in. The future for the Street Monkeys is looking amazing, we are working closely with a number of organisations and agencies to grow Parkour/Freerunning in the North West, we have recently become an affiliate of Parkour UK, the NGB for Parkour/Freerunning in the UK, who’s advice and guidance has been amazing and we are excited about working with them closely in the future”

The final ceremony takes place in September 2013 and Parkour UK would like to wish our affiliate, Street Monkeys the best of luck!

Special Visitors to Level 1 Course

Last week (9th – 12th April 2013) saw a fully booked Parkour UK ADAPT 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Parkour / Freerunning (QCF) course taking place. This course had two special visitors . . . none other than two of the founders of the sport/discipline in Sebastien Foucan & Chau Belle, who are also Parkour UK’s Ambassador & Governor.

Sebastien Foucan, who has previously completed the Parkour UK ADAPT 1st4sport Level 1 Award & Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Parkour/Freerunning (QCF) courses, was attending the course to support the latest cohort of learners & his long time friend Jérôme Ben Aoues, who starred alongside Seb in Jump London & Jump Britain, who was undertaking his Level 1 Award so that he can support Seb in his newly launched, Parkour UK affiliated academy class.

Chau Belle and three senior coaches from the ADD Academy attended the course as part of the regular quality control of the ADAPT qualifications, ADAPT coach educator training process and to see the course run as they look to begin delivery of the ADAPT certification courses in France, birthplace of the sport/discipline.

Many of the learners on this course were overwhelmed by the experience of the course and also meeting two of the founders in the process. The course was run by Chris ‘Blane’ Rowat and Francois ‘Forrest’ Mahop of Parkour Generations, the world’s premier coaching organisation and delivery body for the ADAPT certifications.

If you would like to become a Parkour UK ADAPT 1st4sport Level 1 Award or Level 2 certificate in Coaching Parkour / Freerunning (QCF) qualified coach, then please do contact us for information, dates, & fees.

Sport England gives £24 million boost to Sportivate

Hundreds of thousands more young people are to benefit from the sporting legacy after Sport England announced an extra £24 million to expand and extend its successful Sportivate programme.

The National Lottery funding means Sportivate can continue helping 14- to 25-year-olds to get involved in sports from judo and tennis to wakeboarding and parkour until 2017.

Sportivate gives participants aged between 14 and 25 the chance to receive six to eight weeks of coaching in a sport of their choice. The programme is delivered through the network of 49 CSPs working with a range of local partners.

The programme is aimed at those who are not currently choosing to participate in sport in their own time, or are doing so for a very limited amount of time, and will support them to continue playing sport in their community after the six weeks is up. During the six weeks a participant may work towards an event or personal challenge.

Sportivate will be fully inclusive and target participants across this group, including young people who have a disability, both males and females and participants from BME groups.

Parkour is one of the most popular sports on the Sportivate programme, demonstrating the significant interest and impact Parkour has with young people. If you would like more information or support establishing a Parkour Sportivate session please contact us or you local County Sports Partnership.

Spring Gathering Hits the Peak District

This year sees the first annual Spring Thing – a national 2-day training and camping event in the glorious Peak District on May 25/26, organised and run by  affiliate organisation Parkour Generations.

Parkour Generations presents two days of training amongst the incredible terrain of the Peak District National Park. Discover new textures, surfaces, angles and movements  – all under the expert supervision of experienced coaches.

Details you need to know:

When:  Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th May 2013

Where: Stanage Edge, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire

What: 2 days of training, workshops and fun

Cost:  2 days including tent pitch for Friday and Saturday nights – £65 1 day (no camping) –  £35

How to book: Go to the Event Page, and further details regarding the camp will be emailed to all participants closer to the event date.

The event will expose everyone to all the core elements of what is involved in Parkour training in nature and is both a great place for beginners to start as well as an excellent training experience for experienced practitioners.

The natural terrain of the Peak District National Park offers new challenges even to experienced practitioners; the lack of uniform edges and angles can often require a different, more measured, carefully focused approach. Distances can feel different and the varied surfaces and textures often require a greater understanding of the body in relation to its environment. A Spring Thing gives you the opportunity to explore and experiment with the natural surroundings under the supervision of an experienced coach who will guide your discovery and develop your potential, both physically and psychologically.

This event joins the existing annual Winter and Summer national events, Winterval and Rendezvous, also run by Parkour Generations.