Together Fund - 2023

In 2023, we received a £5,075 Sport England grant from the Together Fund via the RYA.

We worked with Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (UTASS) to expand our traditional annual community watersports session into a summer activity programme. The project began in June and engaged 34 children and young people aged 10-18 with sailing and kayaking, offering a six-week block of Wednesday evening sessions.

Ahead of the sessions commencing, Richard Hewitt, chief instructor at Teesdale SWC, said: "We've been working with UTASS for around a decade, offering a Wednesday evening sail and barbecue at the club once a year, and we now have an opportunity to do more. This project will enable us to teach children how to sail, rather than just take them for a sail, and also learn paddling."

With long working hours in summer for farmers and difficulties accessing public transport, the grant also included funding for UTASS to provide return minibus transport from home each week.

The project also included funding for the club to buy three sit-on kayaks and for a UTASS youth worker to take a British Canoeing course to become a qualified paddle sport leader, with the aim of supporting ongoing opportunities into the future.