Yogalates – starting 9 November 2023

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This is a Body-Mind Class, being a mixture of Yoga and Pilates, with elements of Tai Chi and Meditation.

Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or just beginning your holistic fitness journey, Yogalates promises to offer a transformative experience.  Join us to unite body and mind, finding your inner focus, building strength, improving balance and flexibility through dynamic sequences, finishing with relaxation/meditation, leaving you feeling calm and centred, ready to take on the rest of your day.

We are delighted that Katie Bennett will be coming into the College to offer a 4 week pilot Yogalates class, which will be taking place on Thursday lunchtime at 1.00 pm in the Sports Centre starting after half term, starting on Thursday, 9 November

Ironman update

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A massive congratulations to the GCS Ironman Team who successfully completed Ironman Wales in blistering heat on Sunday 3rd September 2023. Our team joined approximately 3,000 athletes  in a race which started at 7am with a 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112 mile bike course and finally a 26.2 mile run all within a daunting 17 hour window. Tenby’s course has earned a reputation, not just for its challenging terrain but its sheer beauty – captivating yet ruthless, enticing many a seasoned athlete only to break their spirit against the undulating hills of Pembrokeshire.

The GCS Team were also raising money for the Kenya Community Education Project TotalGiving Page’ HERE

 

 

PENSION AWARENESS WEEK – 11-15 SEPTEMBER 2023

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Pension Awareness Week is an annual five-day engagement event from 11 – 15 September aiming to empower everyone to better understand and value their workplace pension, and help them plan for their financial future.

The College has arranged virtual 1-2-1 sessions for staff to talk to independent financial advisor David Baker, from Wesleyan Financial Services Ltd.  David can advise on Teachers’ Pension or LGPS and will be available to answer any queries you may have relating to your pension.

15 minute virtual sessions will available on:

  • Tuesday, 12 September between 1.00 pm – 3.00 pm
  • Thursday, 14 September between 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm

To book your slot, please visit the Wellbeing Booking System – slots will go live on Thursday, 7 September at 8.45 am.

Ironman Tenby – 03.09.23

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3rd September 2023 will see 10 members of GCS staff compete in the world famous Tenby Ironman Wales Challenge alongside elite athletes from all over the world.

The race starts with a 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112 mile bike course and finally a 26.2 mile run. This race is no mean feat and our team will be pushing their minds and bodies to the limit over 12-15 hours. The team would be delighted if you could come along and support them on the day plus you can track individual athletes by downloading the Athlete Tracker App on Apple or Google Stores.

The GCS Ironman Team will also be raising money for the Kenya Project.  If you would like to donate please follow the link Donate here for the Kenya Community Education Project TotalGiving Page

If you are interested in coming to support the GCS Team on the day, please contact Julia.Hayward@gcs.ac.uk for more information.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR AMAZING ATHLETES!

discounts for teachers – ITS HERE!

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The College has a new staff benefit through a partnership with Discounts For Teachers, a platform where members can access deals, cashback, vouchers and discounts at up to 1.5k top brands and retailers to help them save money. It is completely FREE to join and use, there are no hidden costs, no catch.

The scheme is currently used by 820k+ members in the education sector and 91% of members say the discounts help them afford a higher quality of life.

To find out more, Sign up for FREE here! or scan the QR code in the poster or contact lorraine.evans@gcs.ac.uk to start making savings on everyday purchases.

Wellbeing Day – July 6th

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The College was pleased to hold its annual Summer Wellbeing Day on Thursday 6th July. There were a range of activities for staff to participate in across campuses and at various locations, including group walks, cycle rides, cold water dipping, surfing, massages, health checks, golf simulators, lego competitions, pickleball, shamanic healing, yoga and pilates, various fitness classes, amongst many other activities. There were also visits from Tom the therapy dog, Cycle to Work and Indian street food available for staff. Feedback from participants has been really positive with 78% saying the day was excellent or very good with the  remaining feedback also being positive. The majority of staff loved the opportunity to try out a new wellbeing activity and felt supported by the College in relation to health and wellbeing. Staff feedback included:

  • “It was a brilliant day, i really enjoyed the array of activities and spending time with colleagues across the college”
  • “It was lovely to relax with colleagues in a non work setting”
  • “I felt amazing after my massage and having it on our site was so convenient and appreciated”
  • “Loved having the chance to unwind after a hectic year”
  • “I came back to the office after gardening feeling totally relaxed and chilled, i could have spent the whole day with them!”

Ironman – Supporters needed!

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Our GCS Ironman Team will be competing in the Ironman Wales event in Tenby in 9 weeks time, taking place on Sunday, 3 September.  This is a gruelling 12-15 hour race which only the super fit and elite athletes can compete in!

It’s a great event to watch and crowd support plays a big part in getting tired legs to run the final marathon stage through the streets of Tenby. So, if you are interested in joining us on the day to support the Team, please email Julia Hayward to register your interest and find out details of transport arrangements.

Cycle To Work is open all year!

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Your Cycle to Work Scheme is now available all year round. As one of the UK’s leading Cycle to Work scheme providers, Cycle Solutions helps employees purchase a new bike tax free through salary sacrifice, making savings on the cost of a new bike and cycling equipment and spreading the cost over 12 months.

All you need to do is vist the employer homepage HERE and shop all eligible items..

  • Find Your New Bike

Once you have found your bike, click to view your basket; and start the check out. This checkout will be a cycle to work specific checkout; on which you will be asked to input details regarding yourself and the order.

  • Order Approval

Once we have confirmed that the order is correct and eligible to proceed, a Hire Agreement will be sent to you via email. This Hire Agreement can be accessed using a link in the aforementioned email; and will require an online acceptance from yourself to proceed.

  • Revolutionise Your Commute!

Following your acceptance, the agreement will be sent it to your HR department for approval; and once authorised we will assess stock of items and if all are in stock and allocated to yourself; we will call to arrange delivery.

  • Salary Sacrifice

After approval from yourself and your employer, deductions will be taken from your salary for the duration of the agreement.

 

Your Cycle to Work scheme is an agreement between yourself, your employer and Cycle Solutions. You can continue to use your bike once your agreement ends by choosing one of the end of scheme options.

Wisdom AI – mental health toolkit

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We have a newly launched offering available to all staff. Health Assured, our Employee Assistance Programme suppliers, has designed a new website, Wisdom AI. When you need answers, you need them fast. So they created Wisdom AI, a pool of mental health knowledge combined of professional counselling expertise and the latest Artificial Intelligence with invaluable contributions from their professional counsellors’. All staff have full access to this revolutionary platform that delivers expert advice in a  few simple clicks.

You can access it here HERE

 

 

TEAM GCS Update – Mumbles Duathlon & Amman Valley Triathlon

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Team GCS Update

Mumbles Duathlon 25th March

As well as being the title sponsor, Gower College were also well represented with competitors from Team GCS, who joined over 170 athletes from all over the UK.

Considering the previous night’s mini storm, the weather wasn’t bad surprisingly when everyone lined up at 8am on Saturday morning. The rain held off, but the wind was still howling which made the bike course especially challenging with some ferocious head and side winds. Not to mention some (literally) chain snapping climbs – bike handling and fitness were very well tested.

Despite the tough course, Team GCS safely made it across the line, and without doubt are looking in fine fettle for the rest of the season.

There were some very wobbly legs at the end, and thankfully Roy Jenkins and his minions were on hand (pun intended!) with some much needed massage.

TEAM GCS Results:

TIME
Christian Regis 01:46:06
Tim Buckley 02:02:27
Scott Evans 02:06:58
Carl Phillips 02:07:31
Jess O’Driscoll 02:10:39
Mike Gover 02:14:58
Laura Borrelli 02:15:47
Joshua Jordan 02:17:53
Ross Pullin 02:21:51
Rachel Jones 02:26:18
Michelle Williams 02:48:06
Matthew Miller 02:55:57

 

Amman Valley Triathlon 2nd April

The weather started out with a chill in the air for registration but quickly turned to almost perfect conditions, with the sun even making a welcome appearance.

The course itself started with a 400m pool swim then a transition to the bike ride, which was mostly flat with a few gentle ups and downs, making for a quick out and back. The running course followed a footpath and had some inclines to push the legs one last time, there were plenty of supporters along the end of the route to push you through to the finish line.

Overall a great event for first-timers and those just starting the 2023 tri season. (report by Rachel Jones, TEAM GCS Athlete)

TEAM GCS Results:

Carl Phillips 01:12:46
Matthew Miller 01:15:47
Laura Borrelli 01:16:11
Michael Glover 01:16:31
Rachel Jones 01:18:05
Ross Pullin 01:18:35

 

Next up for Team GCS in April will be the Merlin Ride and the Gorseinon 10k, where over 30 athletes will be competing. If you are feeling inspired and would like to get in on the action, then contact christain.regis@gcs.ac.uk for more information.