18th September 2019

Dear Member,

On behalf of the Board I am writing to inform you of some changes within the BASI Management team. After discussions with the Board lasting several months, Andrew Lockerbie decided to step down from his role as CEO and as a Director of BASI and left his position on the 16th September 2019. Andrew has worked tirelessly to help BASI over many years, built and led a close knit team in the office and leaves with our thanks and appreciation for all that he has done in this time.

In the short term, rather than replacing Andrew with a permanent like for like option, the Board voted to use this moment as an opportunity to review many aspects of our overall operations and strategy. As you are no doubt aware, we are all experiencing a period of rapid political and environmental change, so we will be working over the coming months to ensure that BASI is set up for continued success in the years to come & sufficiently resilient to meet whatever challenges we may face. We will of course communicate the result of this once the work is complete.

To support this work and also to ensure Andrew’s work does not lose momentum, Jas Bruce and Kevin Edwards have been asked to join the management team and work on behalf of the Board on a short-term, part-time basis. Both Jas and Kevin are full time trainers in Alpine and Snowboard disciplines respectively, known to those in the office and already familiar with many of our operations. This will enable them to adapt quickly to their new areas of focus and, with the support of the Board and their management team colleagues, will ensure minimal impact to members and the service levels they expect from the organisation.

Once again, on behalf of the Board, I’d like to thank Andrew for his commitment and hard work over the years and congratulate Jas and Kev on their new temporary assignment. If any member has any questions, please feel free to contact me or any of the Board directly.



BASI 
Chairman

Brexit 
There are a couple of useful reference websites that members may want to make use of.
If we are sent any more, we will add them here.

French website - How to prepare for Brexit
British Government website - Get Ready for Brexit

Last month we emailed a template letter for BASI members to use to contact their local MP regarding Brexit. Below is a response Andrew Lockerbie received following his communication.

Dear Andrew, 

Thank you for your letter of 2 August addressed to the Prime Minister, sharing the work of the British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI). I recognise the great work you have done with my department and its predecessors to support British sports professionals in Europe. 

Your letter highlights the issues faced by British professionals working in the EU and requests that we continue to negotiate to get a deal. I can reassure you that we will work in an energetic and determined way to get a deal. We are very willing to sit down with the Commission and EU Member States to talk about what needs to be done to achieve that. 

I fully recognise that Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications is important for many UK businesses and individuals and our goal is an agreement centred on a best in class Free Trade Agreement with the EU. The UK has already put in place arrangements to uphold recognition decisions issued by UK regulators made prior to Exit. Similarly, the Commission has stated that recognition decisions made prior to Exit by EU Member States on qualifications obtained in the UK will not be affected. This should ensure your members already working in the EU retain valid qualifications. 

We are committed to working closely with UK regulators and BEIS policy officials will be in contact to ensure that we fully understand your interests. 

Thank you once again for taking the time to write. I hope you find this response helpful.

Yours sincerely,

RT HON JO JOHNSON MP

You can find a copy of the original letter here 

If you would also like to write to your local MP, please find a link to the template letter here  

Intro to BASI Sessions

Come along to one of our introduction to BASI sessions to find out a bit more about the BASI system, how to become a ski or snowboard instructor and see if you're ready to book onto a level 1 course. 

All sessions are run by BASI trainers. There's no charge for the session but please try and book on in advance as spaces are limited. You'll just need to buy a lift pass on the day.

What's it like being a BASI Instructor? Find out from our members...

Q. Will BASI Qualifications still be valid post Brexit?

A. Brexit will not affect the validity of your BASI qualification. BASI qualifications are aligned to the SCQF, which in turn is aligned to the European Qualification Framework. Your BASI qualification will continue to be recognised internationally post Brexit. Your ability to work in Europe post Brexit, as an instructor, will depend on how individual European countries decide to treat British passport holders as we will no longer enjoy the same “freedom of movement” we currently enjoy as members of the EU.

Massive congratulations to the new BASI Trainers Director, Henry Meredith Hardy, the new BASI Snowboard Director, Stephen Moll  for be elected to the Board!

Trainers Director - Henry Meredith Hardy

Snowboard Director - Stephen Moll

 

Invitation to stand for Election

BASI is seeking nominations from members with the commitment and enthusiasm to serve on the BASI Board. We seek individuals who can demonstrate the specific skill sets that relate to the positions available and may have prior experience working with a member association or club environment.  Evidence of experience and skills must be included in your application and CV.

The deadline for applications is Friday 01 March 2019 and all information regarding eligibility, how to apply and job descriptions are available by clicking on the title link at the top of this news item -  "Your BASI Board Needs You!"

A General Meeting of The British Association of Snowsport Instructors Limited will be held on Sunday 28 April 2019  in Hintertux, Austria for the purpose of electing the following Board members:

Snowboard Director

Trainers’ Director

Chair Elect

Legal Director

It is with great fondness and sadness that we report on the loss of John Swift, who passed before Christmas  following a lengthy illness. John will be known to many members who have worked or skied in Courchevel with Ski Supreme and on Cairngorm Mountain, where John had his home-base.

John Anderson has written the following personal tribute to John Swift: