Paddle UK is a funding partner of Active Thames. We are proud of the impact that has been achieved within communities, clubs and organisations over the last three years.
During this time the Active Thames partnership has invested over £154,000 into paddlesport related projects (£30,000 of which was provided by Paddle UK). This has had a significant influence on a large number of our affiliated clubs based on the tidal Thames and related waterways, helping them to engage with their local communities and get more people out onto the water more often.
Our collaboration has reached the following audiences:
Over 2,200 individuals, 219 of which benefited from coaching qualifications, training and development. Of which:
- 51% female
- 69% from a minority ethnic background
- 31% with a disability, long term health condition or mental health challenge.
Check out some of the projects below and how they are helping their local communities thrive both on and off the water.
Dittons Paddleboarding Club: How a West London paddle boarding club is creating an inclusive community of paddlers
Dittons Paddleboarding Club runs free community paddlesports sessions on the Grand Union Canal and the Thames. They received £1500 which helped train volunteers in first aid and water rescue, so they could increase the number of free sessions on offer.
Dittons Paddleboarding Club have a keen desire to make paddlesports a more inclusive and diverse sport and coach Brett Scillitoe has established AquaPaddle; free-of-charge, timed 5km paddles on waterways across the country.
“Funding has enabled us to plan to provide free sessions for those in the community who can benefit from being out on the water, learning new life skills.” Brett Scillitoe, Coach
Read more about Dittons Paddleboarding Club here.
Laburnum Boat Club: Kayaking allows young people from Hackney to experience London in a powerful new way
In an area with one of the highest levels of deprivation in the UK, Laburnum Boat Club in south Hackney are breaking down barriers for young people; offering opportunities that extend beyond the classroom, thanks to funding provided by Active Thames.
Laburnum Boat Club is a multisport charity in Hackney working with disadvantaged and disabled young people. They club received £4815 which supported kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddleboarding day trips on the tidal Thames and inland waterways. A mentoring and qualification pathway also ran alongside the sessions to support the overall wellbeing and development of each child.
Funding also supported eight coaches from under-represented groups (women and girls, and people from lower-socioeconomic backgrounds) to gain new qualifications. The club feels that diversifying the workforce of coaches has a positive impact on their participants, through seeing a qualified leader who is like them.
“LW passed her Paddlesport Instructor qualification. Not only has this re-invigorated her passion for watersports and the waterways as a whole, but she has reported an improvement in her mental health, largely as she feels less isolated.” Beth Ettinger, Coordinator at Laburnum Boat Club
Read more about Laburnum Boat Club here.
Tower Hamlets Canoe Club: Supporting blind and visually impaired adults get out on the water
Tower Hamlets Canoe Club launched a new programme for blind and visually impaired adults at Shadwell Basin. They received £5000 which supported coach training, equipment and provided bursary support so that sessions were provided at a low cost to individuals. The club worked with Metro Blind Sport and Paddle UK to attract new members and promote the offer, successfully resulting in finding 14 new participants.
“It's brilliant to get out on the water, I absolutely love it. Alex is great and he really, really cares. We're learning things properly, really getting to grips with how to move the boat. Being on the water really makes me happy.” – Nathalie
Read more about Tower Hamlets Canoe Club here.
Full details of the projects funded, can be found here.
We look forward to continuing our collaboration, extending the impact of paddlesport on communities, groups and individuals and making paddling a sustainable and embedded part of how communities engage with the tidal Thames.