Trentham Canoe Club splashes out

Trentham Canoe Club has plenty of reasons to celebrate. In only their second year they have hosted a hugely successful bellboat regatta this summer as well as an outrigger race this autumn, have taken delivery of £17,000 worth of new equipment and some of the juniors are already posting some impressive results at the National regattas. Looking to the future, they are nearly on target to complete their fundraising for a new clubhouse due to be built next year.

Trentham Canoe Club (TCC) is a flat-water club, based in Stoke-on-Trent. With the area already well served by white water and slalom clubs, TCC focuses on recreational and competitive flat-water canoeing with opportunities for children and adults of all abilities. As well as the club night each Monday evening, the club provides after-school racing sessions. Community Sports Coach, Ruth Holdway, also runs bellboating and kayaking sessions for local school groups and works closely with Staffordshire Scouts.

The club is situated within Trentham Gardens on a beautiful mile-long lake designed by eighteenth century architect Capability Brown. The estate is in the midst of a £100 million regeneration programme, which includes plans to demolish the club's dilapidated club house.

Ruth says: “Canoeing on the mile-long lake is quite special. Being on the water gives a unique view of the historic landscaped estate.”

Even before the threat of demolition, storage was becoming a problem due to the club's rapid expansion. This year Trentham Canoe Club received grants from Awards for All (a lottery grants scheme for local communities), Sports Relief, the Local Network Fund and the BCU Junior Development Project. As a result, the club took delivery of £17,000 worth of equipment including a whole fleet of new kayaks for children, adults and those with special needs. They also received paddles, spraydecks, cagoles and even a kayaking ergo machine.

TCC shares the lake with two rowing clubs, Trentham Boat Club and Staffordshire University Boat Club and the three clubs have joined forces, forming Trentham Watersports Association to raise the massive £272,000 needed for a new club house. The purpose-built building will serve as a clubhouse and storage facility for the canoeists and rowers as well as serving local schools, scouts and the community.

The bulk of the money is being provided by grants and a local scout legacy but the combined clubs were still left with £7,000 to find by the end of the summer to allow the project to proceed.

After a successful and fun summer of fundraising (the paddlers raised over £1,000 from their bellboat racing and over £900 from the outrigger racing, as well as additional money raised from other events such as a sponsored duck race, where 400 plastic ducks were raced down the river Trent), TCC have met their target and can now look forward to their new clubhouse, which should be completed in time for the spring.

Ruth says: “Trentham Canoe Club is going from strength to strength. From practically nothing a few years ago, we have a lively, vibrant club with over 70 members.” She adds: “We are really lucky to have the support of the Trentham Estate as the lake is a fantastic venue.”

The results are beginning to show. In September, TCC took a team of juniors to the National Interclub Canoe Sprint regatta in Nottingham. 10-year old Paul Sunderland won both the 500m and 1000m events in the U10 Lightning category, beating paddlers from established sprint racing clubs. The talented young paddler earlier this year also paddled to victory in the J10 junior canoe slalom championships.

For more information contact:
Ruth Holdway
Community Sports Coach for Paddlesport
Trentham Canoe Club and Stafford & Stone Canoe Club
Tel: 07815 768360

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