Happy New Year, everyone. I know by the time you read this we will be steaming into February and hopefully some lovely crisp winter days to start off the season as we hopefully mean to carry on.

Over the Christmas break, the full-time staff were busy changing the layout of our bar area in the clubhouse. One half of the clubhouse will now be closed off when we open the bar and if you’re lucky, our resident barman Corey will offer you table service!

2020 brings a whole year of events with some new coaches and organisers here on weekends to get you jumping.

Andy Goodwin is here the first weekend of every month for FF coaching, and joining him from April through to September is the very enthusiastic and great laugh Joe Laming. Joel Strickland will be coaching and organising in February, March, April and May for you freefly peeps as well.

Also new for this year is Brian Vacher bringing Flight-1 101, 102, 201 and 202 courses in March, June and September. If you want to take part in any of these courses, please book through the Flight-1 website as they are filling up fast.

On the FS side, we also have plenty for you this season. Along with Cath Leather’s coaching, we have Jack Davies Organising, Lesley Gale, Sian, Milko and Billy Payn for the second Skillz Skool and then once again for the five day Euro Big-Way Camp. Both will need to be registered for.

Jim Bradwell is also here with a 14-way competition and other Load Organising dates, and Brian Cumming and the Bradley twins have Load Organising events too. Team Groomed will also be holding coaching weekends for 8-way teams or anyone who’d like to give 8-way a go. All of these and more can be found on our events page.

Once again we are really proud to have been chosen to host the British Skydiving National Championships in FS 4-way and 8-way and also 4-way VFS. This year, the 4-way VFS will run alongside the 8-way competition. We hope to have the registration forms online soon.

And if you are still wondering where to train, we have some amazing team rates this year when you buy blocks of 25 or 50. Just call the office.

If you are one of our students, we have created a Facebook student page. If you would like to join it, head on over to: Facebook and ask to join. We’ve created this to let you know about the weather, refresh times, courses and tunnel events.

We also have loads of other offers running at the moment and we’ve introduced loyalty cards for the café and for jump tickets.  When you’re next here, come and enquire at reception on how to get yours.

If anyone is looking for seasonal work, we are looking for a manifester and packers. If you are interested, please email me at [email protected]

Finally, it is with great sadness that we must announce the passing of our friend and landlord Clifford. Many of you will have met Clifford, whether it was as he chased you for speeding down the track to the car park or presenting you with medals at the Nationals. Clifford was a great supporter of our centre and was always encouraging and helpful with everything we had planned. Our sincere condolences go to his family at this time, he will be greatly missed.

Ash Kemp

Achievements: C LICENCE Lucy Parsons, Ben Fenwick FS1 Bradley Shelton JUMP NUMBERS 500 Wendy Pugh 800 Nigel Thurston 1000 Chris Everitt 1100 Eloy Fisher

Find out more about Hibaldstow: https://www.skydiving.co.uk/

Photo: New Café Area