About Us

Last Updated: Fri 26 Jan 2018

Southdowns Orienteers is a large friendly orienteering club with around 300 members ranging in age from 1 to 80+. We have a range of abilities amongst our members, from absolute beginners to British Champions.

The club puts on a large number of regular events and activities in woodland and downland across Sussex. Our regular series of local events are well attended and highly competitive, while also being suitable for novices. We run a series of informal midweek sessions with running and navigation elements to them and adult navigation training can be incorporated into the monthly junior training sessions as required.

We have a highly successful Junior Squad who meet for training on a monthly basis and compete as a team in national events.

The club exists because of the hard work put in by its members. All members are encouraged to take a turn at helping and it is a great way to get to know new people. We are always looking for new members of all ages and no one is too old or too young. Newcomers can just turn up and try an event and are encouraged to become members after two or three events. Visit our membership page for more information.

Joining Southdowns Orienteers

Southdowns Orienteering Club (known as SO) is a friendly and active club covering the whole of Sussex in the South East Orienteering Association (SEOA). We organise many events during the year with all details and locations displayed on the Events section of the website. The best way to find out about us is to come along to an event where you will receive a very warm welcome and plenty of help to get you started.

SO is keen to encourage their juniors, so all junior members are free to enter all SO events.

The club is affiliated to British Orienteering, the sport’s national governing body, and you join the club via the British Orienteering website. The link below will take you to the pre-filled first page of the British Orienteering members page.

NB: If you are joining towards the end of the year, please be aware that, if you join after 1stNovember of that year, your membership will be valid until 31stDecember of the following year, so you get 14 months of membership for the price of 12.

JOIN HERE

Clothing and Club Kit

We have a range of club kit available to purchase. To place an order or make an enquiry either email or talk to me at an event (Mike Turner in a white Mini).

Please note that there is a separate junior squad top which can be purchased via the junior team assistant. This is generally offered when a junior is running yellow courses on their own or has represented the club in a competition.

Club History

Southdowns Orienteers was formed in December 1976 in a split from SAXONS and held their first event in Stanmer Park in January 1977. The club has won the trophy for the best club in South East England continuously since 1997. We also regularly qualify for the final of the National inter-club competition (the CompassSport Cup). SO has produced British Champions in a wide range of age groups and members have represented England and Great Britain at international competitions including the World Championships.

Safety

The club has clearly defined procedures for mitigating risk associated with events and for dealing with incidents that should arise. Information about how to keep yourself and your children safe at an event.

The club has a designated Safety Officer and a Child Protection & Welfare Officer. Contact details.

Privacy Notice

Privacy Notice

Club Trophies

The club has a number of junior and senior trophies that are awarded each year at the AGM.

Clubmark

Southdowns Orienteers first attained Sport England Clubmark accreditation in 2008 and the club is currently working towards revalidation in 2018. Clubmark is the Sport England cross sport quality accreditation for clubs with junior sections. Clubmark accreditation is awarded to clubs that comply with minimum operating standards in four areas:

Club Logo

The current club logo is a representation of Chanctonbury Ring on the South Downs near Washington. Previous logos have included the Devil in reference to an iconic SO area Devil's Dyke.