With the main Christmas festivities behind us, like me, you are probably looking forward to getting back out in the open air to do some [kite] flying. However also like me, you have probably noticed the increasing number of traditional flying sites that are becoming either restricted to single-line flying only, or no-fly zones.

These restrictions come about through, the stupidity and intolerance on the part of some kite flyers and non-kite flyers. Whose actions can lead to confrontations, accidents and perceived dangers resulting in the inappropriate application of Health and Safety regulations by local authorities.

One solution, particularly for power kite flyers with buggies and boards would be to have separate flying areas away from non-kite flyers, however public space is restricted and becoming even more so. Chris Dowie of the Sywell Kite Club, came up with a solution: use farm land which is lying fallow as part of the EU/Government’s single payment scheme. Brilliant!

However as with all brilliant ideas there is a pitfall, for some unknown reason, some bureaucrat in an office somewhere has decided to classify power kiting as a motorsport. Maybe it was the the word ‘power’ that did it, I don’t know, but the upshot is that in order for farmers to retain their subsidy, they can only allow the land to be used for power kiting for 28 days in a designated 2 month period.

Most would have given up at this point, but not Chris, backed by a petition on the 10 Downing Street website, and the “Free the Fields” campaign blog, he has been single handedly working to get power kiting reclassified to allow unrestricted use of fallow farm land.

Whether you are a kite flyer or not, I would urge you to show your support for the campaign, by signing the petition and subscribing to the blog. After all it is hardly joined up government to tell us that we need to get out and take more exercise, only to put what appear to be arbitrary restrictions on us when we do.

Well that’s probably it for 2007, so I would like to wish you a happy new year by quoting Johnny Depp in saying

“May the wind always be on your back and the sun upon your face and may the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars.”