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Photo courtesy of Isle of Wight Adventure Activities.
On offer this summer from Ventnor Sea Kayaking Club are courses in paddling and surfing on fun sit-on-top kayaks.
Ventnor Sea Kayaking Club who has been funded by Sported, the UK’s leading sport for development charity, to provide free places on the Clubs’ summer sit-on-top kayaking courses for disadvantaged young people from deprived areas.
The first course starts in June with a fun paddling session followed by safety & rescue training which gives beginners the basics to go on to gain a recognised BCU certified star award. Courses are delivered by fully qualified coaches, led by Owen Burson one of the U.K’s leading sit-on-top kayaking coaches from Isle of Wight Adventure Activities.
Courses can be used by young people to gain their Bronze and Silver Awards as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Young people from 13yrs to 25yrs old from the 20% most deprived areas on the Island; Ventnor East, Newport Pan, Ryde North East and St Johns will be able to apply for free places and need to contact the project’s manager Rob Chuter T: 853216 or E: enquiries@ventnorseakayaking.org.uk as soon as possible to reserve a place.
If you don’t qualify for a free place you can still take part, courses are open to anyone aged 13yrs old plus…that does include older generations, even if you are in your 50’s or 60’s.
Ventnor Sea Kayaking Club has only recently been set-up by three local Ventnor residents; Steve Peake, Nicky Hargreaves and Rob Chuter, specifically to provide opportunities for young people to take-up the fast growing sport of sit-on-top sea kayaking.
Steve Peake the Clubs’ chairperson said “The club has made a lot of progress in establishing itself in the last three months”., “We have become the first Isle of Wight member of Sported”., “Affiliated with Canoe England the sports’ national governing body”., “Received encouraging support from the Isle of Wight Council who are prepared to lease us some land near Ventnor beach for a boathouse”., and “Been very fortunate in being able to appoint a very experienced and leading paddle sport coach, Owen Burson, as club coach”., “We are all very excited at the progress being made and look forward to hearing from anyone interest in taking-up or becoming reacquainted with the sport”.
The club is eagerly awaiting news of a HIWCF Sports Relief and Sports England - Sportsmatch funding grant to complement the £2,000 grant from Sported -www.sported.org.uk - for free summer courses.
It is hoped that sponsorship from Island companies will help provide resources to expand the scheme to other young islanders.
Any company wishing to help support the Club need to contact Rob Chuter, details above.
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