JROS minibus driving report
Earlier this year we made a grant to the Junior Regional Orienteering Squads (JROS) towards paying for minibus driving lessons and a test (see award). Katherine Bett was on the receiving end of this, and we bring you her report.
Thanks to the support from the Orienteering Foundation, I successfully passed my D1 minibus driving test this summer. The Foundation made a significant contribution to the total cost which was over £1000. For those who passed their driving test before 1997, minibus driving is automatically included on your licence. If you're unlucky (or lucky?!) enough to be too young, you have to jump through several hoops (a medical, another theory test, a reversing test) before taking the actual exam itself. I had several lessons near Henley this spring, before fortunately passing first time.
It wasn't long before I was at the wheel of a minibus at the JROS Lagganlia training camp. I attend most years and I know the whole team will be thankful for an extra driver, especially for some of the long journeys out to the coast, or if the group has to split for any reason. Whether it's for JROS tours or England Team Manager duty at the JHIs, I hope to be able to put this qualification to good use for many years.