In Depth: The Power of Snowsports

Snow Camp’s story starts in 2003. Dan Charlish, a keen snowboarder, was doing youth work in south London. He overheard his group saying, while playing a snowboarding X-Box game, that this was the closest they were ever going to get to the mountains. This gave Dan an idea. What if he could bring his youthwork and snowsports knowledge together, and create something that would enable some of the young people he was working with to experience skiing and snowboarding, but also grow as individuals through that experience.

“The mountains have always been incredibly special for me, a rejuvenating and inspiring environment,” says Dan. “I felt the kids we were working with, in these very oppressive inner city estates in London, would perhaps be the most able to benefit from sharing that environment and having that shift from inner city to mountains. I thought that could be quite powerful. ”After securing funding to take 13 young people to France that year, the passionate team behind the charity have spent the past two decades building Snow Camp into a nationwide operation, currently taking place at indoor snow centres in London, the Midlands, the North West and Scotland.

Run by the national youth charity Switch180, Snow Camp delivers a series of courses that take kids from beginner level to qualified snowsports instructor in one year, with volunteering and apprenticeship progression routes available at the end. Alongside learning to ski or snowboard (with a residential week abroad each year as part of their instructor training), young people also have access to life skills training and mental health support.

“Throughout summer 2021, we were delighted to welcome over 800 young people onto the slopes for their first experience of skiing or snowboarding,” says Dan Keeley, Snowsports Community & Partnerships Manager. “All young people joined us through their local youth clubs and would not have access to these sports without our support. Fast forward a few months and over 100 of these are now training to become snowsports instructors with us. The journeys that young people go on with Snow Camp are life-changing. ”The Ski Club is proud to have been a partner with Snow Camp for over 10 years, providing young people with internships and volunteer opportunities at the Club, alongside organising fundraising challenges, competitions and live events to support Snow Camp’s work.

“Together, we continue to break down barriers and raise aspirations among young people,” says Dan Keeley. “And as we approach our 20th anniversary year, we are looking forward to working more closely with the Ski Club team. Thank you for your continued support!” To find out more about Snow Camp and Switch180visit snow-camp.org.uk and switch180.org.uk.

MEET LAKSHMI MEHRA

Originally from India, 22-year-old Lakshmi Mehra joined Snow Camp in 2017. From never having strapped on a pair of skis before, to completing her BASI Level 2, her journey is as impressive as it is inspirational. Nicola Iseard finds out more…

NI: How did you end up first joining Snow Camp?

LM: It was through my youth charity PYF, while I was doing my sports leadership qualification. One day they asked me if I was interested in trying skiing or snowboarding. Both were sports I had never been exposed to before, but I like to give new things a go so I said yes. Not long afterwards I was putting on my first pair of skis.

NI: Did you take to skiing pretty quickly?

LM: Yes, at the start, when learning to snowplough and how to turn. Plus I was doing it with my friends, so it was an awesome experience. The intermediate stage was much harder than I expected; every time you are learning a new technique, you are a beginner again.

NI: What is it you like about skiing?

LM: Everything, except the boots! Just putting on my skis and being able to ski any mountain with any type of terrain is just so bizarre tome, but at same time it fills me with a lot of adrenaline and desire to want to be a better skier. I was very sporty as a child – I used to play cricket and did various other sports growing up – but skiing has been one of my favourite sports.

NI: In 2018 you were accepted onto Snow Camp’s Apprenticeship course– can you tell us a bit about that?

LM: I didn’t know what to do after I finished school, so I was given the opportunity to do a year-long apprenticeship with Snow Camp. I worked at Tamworth Snow Dome teaching young people who were trying skiing and snowboarding for the first time. I also went on a trip to Tignes where I helped with the GB Alpine Championships – it was mind-blowing to see the speed and accuracy of the athletes. At the end of my apprenticeship I did my BASI Level 1, which I passed – it was one of my proudest moment, it showed just how much my skiing had improved and that now I could help other people with their skiing.

NI: And you have just returned from completing your BASI Level 2 in Zermatt– quite an achievement!

LM: It was shock for me! I wanted to pass it for myself and everyone who has supported me. But I wasn’t expecting it, because due to Covid I hadn’t skied for two years and during my exam I had Covid. But I passed, and I’m so thrilled and excited for what is next. Getting this qualification means I can teach in many parts of the world. I finish university in few months, so I want to go out there and experience skiing in the mountains again and again.

NI: Do you find that teaching comes naturally to you?

LM: I am comfortable with people who I don’t know – I was previously a sports coach for summer sports – so I really enjoy teaching. But at the same time it can be challenging with certain people, who perhaps don’t do sports or who’ve had previous injury – it can be hard to get them to do what I ask. But when they do get it, they feel grateful and I’m glad to be able to get so much progress in just an hour or two.

NI: Do you have any advice for any kids who want to get to your level?

LM: When someone gives you an opportunity, don’t say no without trying it. You don’t know what new doors it might open for you. It is because I said ‘yes’ that I got to be where I am now.

NI: What do the next few years look like for you?

LM: My next few years will be spent in the Alps teaching people and improving my own skiing. I’m hoping to experience as many ski resorts as possible

2022 SNOW CAMP AJ BELL CRANS-MONTANA MARATHON

Isabelle Duncan, a long-standing Ski Club Member, former Rep and well-known cricket commentator and writer, reports on the2022 Snow Camp AJ Bell Marathon…

We descended upon sunny Crans-Montana for the 2022 Snow Camp AJ Bell Marathon: two days of flexing our muscles competing in five separate snowsport disciplines – orienteering, snowshoe hike, laser biathlon, distance challenge and parallel slalom race.

Our team, Mount Kleinwort, was one of13 teams itching to raise funds for Snow Camp, a charity supporting and empowering inner-city young people through mountain sports, driven by Dan Charlish (Founder and Director)and his devoted team.

We had a wobbly start with Covid zapping two of our original team members, so heroes Jack and Wenona, both medics from London, stepped in and bravely saved our bacon, much to the relief of our ambitious captain, the Earl of Limerick. To give Wenona her deserved moment in the sun, she had her own personal mission to bring ‘colour to the mountains’, seeking to increase diversity in winter sports(look her up at mountnoire.com).

I don’t want to give a false impression of hard toil and sweat as, mercifully, much of the time was spent at posh events fraternising with our fellow competitors – the Skiing Scousers were a firm favourite. Our big night out involved clubbing together with the Knight Frank City Ski Championship gang for a plush buffet and a forum sponsored by the Financial Times. All seamlessly put together by Momentum Ski. The Snow Camp youngsters spoke movingly and endearingly about their own personal struggles and experiences, and how the charity has turned their lives around. Celebs Damon Hill, James Haskell, Marcus Waring and Eddie the Eagle looked on in admiration.

The parallel slalom brought the zenith hour, with mega wipe outs alongside some sharp racing on finely tuned skis, accompanied by the dulcet tones of Konrad Bartelski offering up some amusing and enlightening commentary. Longshots Dan’s Dream Team snatched gold in a nail-biting final.

This jolly with a serious core raised over £50,000 and plaudits go to Team Delanski as overall event winners and top fundraisers.