In answer to your first question, there are a few glider pilots “here”, but a lot more on gliderpilot.net.
Secondly, many gliding clubs have young members, though in the nature of things most clubs have more members over 30 than younger. In my club (Essex GC, at Ridgewell), offhand out of about 50 members I can think of at least 6 below 25,. Some solo and some not yet. We also have a junior member cadet scheme with reduced fees for students. (I once calculated that one of our junior pilots who joined when about 10 had several thousand poundsworth of free flying subsidised by the rest of us.) On Saturday and Sunday this weekend, our most advanced junior (aged 16) had 8 aerobatic training flights – paid for by his family, however, not by other club members – we can’t stretch to that sort of subsidy!
It sounds as though we would be a long drive for you, however. If you do choose to visit us, I think you would get a better welcome than is described in another thread.
Chris N
Last edited by chrisN; 4th Nov 2013 at 00:52.