British Parachute Association
Patron: His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
British Parachute Association
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Competitions season 2013
The UKSL & Grand Prix season is now in full swing. See the dates and DZs on the UKSL & Grand Prix page. Check out the BPA competitions skills coaching roadshow dates in the diary of events to hone your skills! (NB: The Camera Roadshow at Hib will be on 22-23 June, not July as stated in error in the BPA e-Newsletter for May.) Later in the season, we've got the Nationals to look forward to. And internationally, it's Skydiving World Cup year.
Enter the world of skydiving competitions - start from our competitions homepage!
BPA Skydive Starter Mag
The BPA Skydive Starter Mag is a mine of information, updated for the 2013-4 season, about our exciting, exhilarating and empowering sport. It's designed to help open up the world of skydiving to those who have made a first jump and can't wait to do more! Read the Skydive Starter Mag online. You can jump at BPA Affiliated Clubs & Centres throughout the UK.
Have you spotted a BPA Star?
We’ve all heard moans about poor service. But we also know there are many examples of fantastic service within our sport. And we believe it’s time for them to be recognised! That’s why we’re asking BPA A licence holders and above to tell us about great service you've received from another BPA member... to tell us if you've spotted a BPA Star ! The closing date for this year's nominations is Monday 4 November 2013.
Jeff Montgomery appointed as BPA Safety & Technical Officer
Jeff Montgomery has been appointed BPA Safety & Technical Officer to succeed John Hitchen, National Coach & Safety Officer, who has announced his retirement. It is planned for Jeff Montgomery formally to succeed John Hitchen on 1 October 2013. He will, however, participate in a transition period shadowing John Hitchen at various courses, meetings and events during the period between now and then.
There has emerged a need better to reflect the seniority of the longstanding job description of Tony Butler’s post with the job title of that post. Therefore, Tony Butler’s job title is changed from BPA Technical Officer to BPA Chief Operating Officer.
Jeff Montgomery joined the Army in 1991 and was introduced to sport parachuting in 1997 in Canada. He completed his AFF in 1998 in Empuriabrava, Spain, and started a full-time career as a sport parachutist having joined the Silver Stars Parachute Display Team later in 1998. He served with the Silver Stars for a period of more than four years, during which he obtained his Category System Instructor rating and was awarded BPA Instructor of the Year in 2000.
He joined the Royal Artillery Parachute Display Team in 2003 and gained further qualifications of Tandem Instructor and AFF instructor. He moved on to the military instructing circuit and to the Services Parachute Centre in Ballykelly, Northern Ireland, in 2005. He served there as full-time instructor for two years and gained his Advanced Instructor rating. In 2007 he moved to Cyprus and became a full-time instructor at the Combined Services Parachute Centre where he achieved his Instructor Examiner rating.
Having met his long-term girlfriend skydiving, they married in 2008 and returned to the UK to take a place at the Joint Services Parachute Centre Netheravon at the end of 2009. In 2011 he was appointed Centre Chief Instructor for the Silver Stars Parachute Centre, and he became a proud father in 2012.
Jeff said “I look forward to this new and exciting opportunity to contribute to the mentoring and development of parachutists and future instructors. I should also like to pay my respects to John Hitchen who has made such a major and sustained contribution to our sport, and who will be a hard act to follow.”
It's BPA renewal time!
Full BPA Members: To those who have renewed - thank you! To those who haven’t, a reminder that to jump on or after 1 April, you'll need to renew. Just download and print off BPA Form 101 Membership renewal 2013-4 then complete the form and send to the BPA Office by fax or post with your payment details. More information on our members page.
More from BPA AGM - Satuday 26 January 2013
Here are links to videos from two of this year's afternoon sessions on AGM Day: Jump4Heroes Mission to the Eiger by Alastair Macartney, and the Red Bull Stratos Project by Anu Ojha (pictured), Director, National Space Academy, National Space Centre, Leicester. Here is a longer video starting with the AGM itself. For news from the AGM, please click on the 'more news' tab below.
More news on BPA AGM 2013
BPA member Ian Rosenvinge put two ordinary resolutions to the AGM. Ordinary resolutions require a simple majority to carry. Ian's first resolution carried. His second resolution did not carry - by 6 votes.
Ian Rosenvinge’s Resolution 1
Right to Address Council/Committee/Sub-Committee - Amendment/Clarification Chairman's Discretion
It is my understanding that our right as members to speak at a BPA convened meeting is at the Chairman's Discretion. I put it to the BPA Membership that such Discretion is not for the Chairman to deny any the right to speak, but rather as a matter of procedure to choose the moment and order in which those who wish to speak may speak, only curtailing contribution(s) when it becomes apparent that the same point or argument is being repeated by different speakers. Further, that where individuals are, or have been, denied the right to speak and Council, Committee or Sub-Committee have subsequently then taken action, be it due to discipline, a breach or change of regulation(s), and which has then resulted in the curtailment of an individual’s activities, such as through the loss or non-renewal of a rating, that such individuals then have the right of Appeal to a Tribunal.
The vote was - For: 190 Against: 149 Abstain: 23 Carried
Ian Rosenvinge’s Resolution 2
Election/Re-election of BPA Council/Committee/Sub-Committee Chairpersons - Clarification of Procedure
I put to the BPA Membership that it should be proper procedure for BPA Council, its Committees and Sub-Committees to vote to appoint or re-appoint their Chairpersons annually, normally as the first item on the Agenda at their first meeting after the BPA AGM. My understanding is that this is the accepted practice at BPA Council and at some BPA Committees but that where such a practice has not been followed at other Committees/Sub-Committees then it should now be so forthwith.
The vote was - For: 161 Against: 167 Abstain: 34 Not carried
Total number of voting papers (proxy and ballot): 362. Ian was present at the count.
Other AGM Day news
- Subscriptions down for 2013/4 thanks to reduction in insurance premium.
- First BPA 50 Awards made to those who have been in the sport for 50 Years, further nominations welcome.
- New Competitions Chair: Paul Moore.
- AGM Day feature in February Mag.
- BPA Annual Review of 2012 has been published as an insert to February Mag.
- Confirmation of election of Council 2013
Thank you to all members who took part in the AGM and the rest of AGM Day's activities and celebrations. Thank you too to the speakers, presenters, exhibitors, entertiners, helpers and organisers of the event, and to the staff of the Leicester Marriott, our host venue.
Next BPA AGM Day: East Midlands Conference Centre, University of Nottingham, Saturday 25 January 2014.
BPA AGM Day: Saturday 26 January 2013
Don't miss BPA AGM Day at the Leicester Marriott LE19 1SW - M1 J21 / M69 J3. AGM Day programme The Annual Dinner has sold out and the Marriott is full on the Saturday night - but see Go Leicestershire! for other overnight accommodation. The Rhythm & Blues Brothers (pictured), are live from 2145 at the dance & disco plus Scarlet Butterfly (pole dancer). You don't have to go to the dinner to see the band etc and come to the disco. See the AGM day page for more on this day - and night! - to remember.
BPA AGM Day - Leicester: Saturday 26 January 2013
BPA AGM Day 2013 takes place at the Leicester Marriott Hotel, Smith Way, Grove Park, Enderby, Leicester LE19 1SW - close to M1 J21 / M69 J3. The hotel has superb facilities and is in a central location for this not-to-be-missed event. AGM Day programme Tickets for the Annual Dinner are available price £25 each from the BPA Office, telephone 0116 278 5271. See our AGM Day page for more on what's on offer to make this a day - and night! - to remember.
Season's Greetings from the BPA
Congratulations to husband and wife Dr John Carter (BPA Medical Adviser) and Debbie Carter (BPA Treasurer) who are jointly to receive the BPA Jim Crocker Award for their Outstanding Contributions to Sport Parachuting. Congratulations too to Jim Scott from Edinburgh, winner of the BPA Taz Causer Skydiver of the Year Award 2012, to be presented on BPA AGM Day, Saturday 26 January 2013 at the Leicester Marriott. The BPA sends you greetings for the festive season, and looks forward to a great year of skydiving in 2013!
Congratulations to Al & Pixie
Congratulations to World Parachuting Championships Mondial 2012 Freestyle Open Bronze medallists Alistair Hodgson and Pixie Macleod-Hodgson who together are Team Airkix Freestyle.
Updated 17 May 2012
