Project Title: Ulverston Canoe Club – Engaging New Audiences

Funding Received: (Phase 4: 1 April 22 - 31 March 23) £4,740

Ulverston Canoe Club is a small, volunteer led club and registered charity. Based in South Cumbria the club has ready access to the lakes, rivers, and coast, offering a wide variety of paddling and social opportunities.

The club were keen to reach new audiences and attract members by seeking to work more closely with a range of partner organisations within the local community.

Members of the club expressed an interest in working with groups that support individuals with mental health conditions, providing access to physical activity sessions alongside the space and environment to provide outdoors peer to peer sessions.

Through initial conversations with MIND in Furness an initial cohort of clients and their support workers were identified to pilot this work. It has been recognised that these organisations and their client groups have been detrimentally affected by COVID-19.  The hope that in offering to provide these activities, initially free of charge, the club will help to mitigate some of the adverse impacts of the pandemic. 

The costs associated in taking part in paddlesports can be a significant barrier to engagement and participation yet there are so many benefits to both physical and mental wellbeing to be gained from taking part in outdoors activities. To address these barriers and enable the club to offer low-cost opportunities to a broader range of the local population funding was provided.

The funding was used to support the purchase of two canoes and associated personal and safety equipment that would be used to supplement and increase the groups resources and capacity. By purchasing additional equipment, the club reduced their need to hire additional canoes therefore providing greater sustainability and the opportunity to develop activities with new groups.

The sessions are due to take place in the Spring and it is hoped that these will build confidence and inspire the clients to consider joining the canoe club or to partake in other water-based activities. This will also support MIND in Furness and their peer support work and explore alternative approaches to delivery through physical activity.