Have you thought about orienteering? Perhaps not the first thought that pops into your mind as you stumble out of bed in the morning - but what a great past-time it is! It doesn't matter what age you are or how fit you are. The aim is to navigate between certain points (in sequence) in the fasted possible time. You can walk, jog, run, sprint - it's all a great challenge for the mind and body.
British Orienteering have an informative and easy to use website for you to navigate your way around (little iMember joke there!) and they can direct you to your local orienteering association. AND apart from the obvious health and social benefits of orienteering, if you are a member of British Orienteering, you will see that the benefits they have negotiated for you are superb. Like so many membership organisations - so many benefits, so little brain-memory space to remember them. Cue iMember.....simply register (for free) at www.iMember.co.uk and list all your membership organisations and you will be reminded of all the benefits / discounts / bonuses you can claim.
There is also a mobile app you can download (again, it's free) so if you are out and about (perhaps orienteering!) and you come within a certain radius of one of your member benefits you will get an alert to your mobile phone.
British Orienteering offer discounts with SkyParkSecure airport parking; Cotswold Outdoors; Go Ape; the Youth Hostelling Association; The AA plus many more.
Remember you're a member
According to analysis by charity 4Children, the average family spends 31% of disposable income on childcare and that figure is set to rise to 40% within a decade. It is bleak figures such as these which should prompt us to ensure we are making use of all the discounts and benefits we are entitled to from our membership organisations. We need to make every penny count and work hard.
By registering (for free), all the organisations to which you belong at www.iMember.co.uk you will immediately be reminded of all the discounts, rewards, bonuses and entitlements that membership brings you. A survey carried out last year found that more than three quarters of the adult population belong to or pay a regular subscription to at least one organisation - however, half of these members had no idea what membership benefits were available to them and were therefore not using them.
iMember reminds users when savings (to which they are already entitled because of their memberships) are available. The free mobile app means that when you are out and about, you can be reminded of a member benefit when you are within a certain radius of one.
Full time childcare costs for two children aged 2 and 5 years old are estimated at £11,700 per annum. Make sure your membership organisations are working for you:- health, home and car insurance; gym; newspapers; social media groups; store cards; breakdown services; walking, running, skiing, tennis or golf clubs; university alumnis. The list of membership organisations is extensive, the list of member benefits are huge and the financial savings you could be making now are enormous.
The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall are preparing to sow a poppy crop, set to bloom as part of a dramatic one day event to mark the centenary of the First World War. 
