Game Angling Instructor Association (G.A.I.A.) Spreads the Word at Tweedswood.
Spreading the word of excellence and professionalism in game angling instruction;
The Game Angling Instructors Association (GAIA) held its annual spring meeting on the Tweedswood beat of the river Tweed near Melrose in the Scottish Borders. The event was run from the 12th to the 14th of March 2010 and was a mixture of assessments, mentoring sessions and some very interesting personal professional development workshops.
There were 18 assessments undertaken over the course of the day with 10 achieving the necessary standard this time round. The successful candidates were:
- APGAI (Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructor) single handed; Alun Rees
- GAIC (Game Angling Instructors Certificate) single handed; Mike Lonsdale, Richard Jacques, Raymond Morris and Scott Loudon
- GAIC double handed; John Symonds, Dudley Hosfield
Re-certifications (ie: qualified instructors undergoing a re-certification in the new syllabi) were also take by:
- APGAI single handed; Alberto Laidlaw, Brian McGlashan
- And our vice-chairman, Philip Pledger, was re-certified (no comments please) in single handed techniques.
Louis Noble, Chair of Assessors, said
“The very high standard exhibited by successful candidates when they step forward for assessment is a testament to the hard work GAIA has undertaken over the past few years developing its mentoring system”. Well done to all that passed.
Mentoring sessions were held by both Mark Roberts and Louis Noble, in both double handed and single handed techniques respectively. These sessions were used to introduce prospective instructors to the syllabi. There was also an excellent opportunity for the assessors-in-training to undergo mentored practice in assessing would-be coaches. This developmental attitude is essential for the future of our sport; in the words of our Chairman, Philip White, “It is important that GAIA has continued growth and having new blood in the assessment team is absolutely paramount in driving this growth”.
Throughout the day some fantastic workshops were held. Andrew Toft captivated us all with his Fulcrum Fly Casting Technique which led smoothly into a demo by Peter Anderson, the Godfather of modern speycasting, showing us how to keep it simple. There were also informative demos given by Ronnie Glass, the Scottish rivers champion, on grayling fishing as well as a very informative session run on salmon fishing by Garry Scott. Kenny Gault of the Tweed Foundation was also there with an interactive session on the bug life of the Tweed. There was also a chance to brush up on fly dressing skills and have a look at the latest styles and materials with Wendy Gibson and Peter MCCallum who spent the day showing us the art of fly tying. The day was rounded off by Raymond Morris with a very informative presentation on customer service.
GAIA next big meeting will be at Caer Beris Manor hotel in autumn 2010 as ever this event will be open to members of the general public as well as GAIA members.
Notes for Editors:
• For further information or a follow up story on this event please contact Alberto Laidlaw on 07778526859 or 01413535560 or email alberto@gameanglingscotland.co.uk
• G.A.I.A. was created in 1967 to establish and maintain standards of excellence in the field of ‘Game Angling Instruction’.
• With around 400 members the Game Angling Instructor Association (G.A.I.A.) is the leading recognised body representing game angling instructors in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Those interested in becoming a qualified game angling instructor or interested booking a coaching session with a qualified GAIA coach anywhere in the UK and Ireland can contact GAIA on www.gameanglinginstructors.co.uk.
Quick tips for making an intelligent breakdown cover comparison
There are several tips to know when purchasing breakdown cover. The first easy to follow tip is to always compare breakdown cover prices and features. Very often you are paying for features you do not need. For example why sign up for tow home from a distance protection if your car never travels more than 30 kilometres from home. In contrast, you don’t want to leave off important cover features you may need such as home start service for the frosty days when your battery decides to fail. A simple and quick breakdown cover comparison will help you make sure you are not paying for service you don’t need and be certain that your cover premium includes those features you require.
Another great tip is to not sign up for auto-renewal. Almost every cover company runs special sign up promotions at discounts of at least 25%. You won’t get these if you auto-renew. Make the cover company treat you as well as a new prospect.
A final tip is to always purchase your car or motorbike breakdown cover online. Almost every UK breakdown cover company offers a substantial discount for buyers who sign up online. While some companies such as Green Flag Breakdown do not offer an online discount such as the almost 35% offered by RAC, they make up for this shortfall by having lower prices overall and giving more features for less cost.
The addition of High Definition channels in digital TV broadcasts
Retailers across the UK are now selling the latest improvement in the Set Top box. That is Freeview with HD (High Definition) TV. High Def TV is definitely (pun intended) an improvement when it comes to viewing sports events. At the present time four channels are available in non subscription Freeview HD TV. These are BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5. Using Freeview is a great way to decide whether or not HD Digital TV suits you. For some people the difference in clarity means nothing, for others it is essential to their viewing experience. Once you decide if HD TV is to your liking you can opt for more HD channels from popular cable TV providers such as Virgin Media. Virgin Media offers 8 HD channels at no additional cost to its XL customers. SKY satellite TV offers a full 38 high-definition TV channels. Many other TV packages are available with HD TV.
Remember high definition TV will only work on a set that was built with the proper resolution. This means a resolution of at least 720P and preferably 1080P. It is hoped that the number of terrestrial broadcasts of high definition digital TV will expand but with the popularity of quality subscription services like SKY and the expansion of no subscription Freesat, it is more likely all of our broadcasts will be arriving via satellite.
A new type of pay as you go mobile broadband for internet access abroad
Talk about expanding your mobile broadband coverage! Virgin Media has just announced a new “Travel Pass” system that lets their customers purchase mobile broadband connection time while abroad at a flat rate. The pricing available by the hour or by the day eliminates surprise roaming charges one is apt to find on their bill after using their laptop or other mobile internet device while abroad. Now we can use our iPhone or Blackberry Curve without discovering that a simple call for directions cost us several quid. The passes are available in several ranges with a mobile broadband daily rate of 10 Pounds. This is perfect for light use such as checking and sending emails. The packages from Virgin are intended to directly compete with recent announcement from Orange Mobile of a 2MB for 2 pounds roaming abroad deal. Special pricing for users of iPhones allows for 10Mb download for a set price of just 5 pounds.
So which of these offerings is the best? Both of these plans amount to a form of pay as you go mobile broadband for travelers in as much as charges are based solely on time spent. But by opting in for these plans the savings are considerable. Standard mobile broadband roaming charges from Orange cost 3 Pounds per MB.
A valid comparison of both Orange Mobile’s EU mobile broadband plans and those offered by Virgin Media by way of their new Travel Pass programme can easily be found online.
A new topic for broadband reviews emerges with expanding fibre optic networks
Much has been written of slowdowns in broadband service caused by congestion of data streaming in what is referred to as the last mile. The last mile is a generic term used to describe the breakdown of internet connection speed as connections get closer to your doorway. In many instances of broadband comparison United Kingdom consumers paid for promised speeds of “up to” 12 Mb only to find out through a simple speed test that they were clocking in at a meager 128 Kb. For those unaware that would be slightly better than old fashioned dial up speed! With this in mind we are skeptical of the recent surge in FTTC Fibre to the Cabinet (or curb) promises. We must always compare broadband reviews so as to read for ourselves what our neighbours had to say about any given service. Eclipse internet has just announced broadband packages launching in April offering 40 Mb as created by FTTC. But the final link in the delivery of broadband will still be sent by means of copper cable. Logic would have us think that the curb to home link should not provide too much of a slowdown. Bear in mind that Fibre to the curb actually means Fibre optic cable to within 1000 feet of your premises. After that one may still wish to compare broadband so as make sure speed of shared connections between homes and businesses travels the last distance into the premises.
Most of the market for these new Eclipse Internet packages seems to be in the business sector. For business users all of the extra seconds waiting for screens to load can add up to a tremendous cost in productivity.
The advantages of BT’s variable phone line packages
One of the best features of BT is their scalable products. From your home phone line to television channels, BT allows you to choose exactly how much service you wish to purchase. So many people come back to BT for exactly this reason. A case in point is the changeover of what had been BT’s Get Connected plan to its new name of Talk and Surf, along with a new pricing structure.
As one of the United Kingdom’s leading phone line providers BT is rated highly among consumers for their reliable service. But the ability to only pay for what you need is quickly gaining favour with UK consumers.
The new Talk and Surf allows for up to 20MB speed and a 10GB download limit. It does not include line rental and has an introductory price of £7.49 for the first three months increasing to £14.49 thereafter. 10GB per month is fine for the casual web surfer and the plan allows for unlimited free nights and weekend phone calls. But consider that if you like to download movies, a little web surfing and the download of 2 high quality movies will put you over your 10GB limit.
Fortunately, BT offers an unlimited calling and internet download plan that simply puts an end to wondering whether or not you have exceeded your limits. This new plan simply called Talk and Surf Unlimited is positively the way to go for anyone that takes their work home with them or simply spends a great deal of their entertainment time on the web. Needless to say this unlimited calling and internet plan is a must for large families. With an introductory cost of £19.99 a month for three months and £27.99 a month thereafter, exclusive of line rental, this is an overall excellent value.