Thank you for your patience over the last few months. We really appreciate your continued support in making this a safe and successful club focussed on providing activities and opportunities for young people and families. Our coaches and helpers have been missing the smiling faces we see in our sessions and we are keen to resume as much activity as possible as soon as possible.
The club Committee has looked at the guidance and advice from British Canoeing and we believe we can now restart some of the club’s activities, but this can only be done if all of us act responsibly and abide by the “social distancing” rules specified by the government.
As ever our aim is to keep everyone safe – members, coaches, volunteers, members of staff and the public. We have agreed that the following activities will restart this week. We must stress that this is not a “return to normal”.
For the moment there are no formal club sessions – what we are doing is making Battyeford and Kit available for club paddlers those able to paddle independently, available to use for their own exercise in line with the current government rules.
As a committee we review the guidance as it is updated and hope to be able to increase the opportunities for more people to return to the water.
To do things responsibly we have had to review our activity safety framework. Even now, we face delays in restarting some club activities where we are still working to agree on a safe way of operating.
Additional Information – Please Read!
All users must abide by the current social distancing guideline issued by the UK Government. Failure to do so puts everyone at risk and jeopardises the reputation of the club.
Please note the rules on exercising. You can exercise with groups of no more than 6 and must be confident that you will be able to maintain that distance throughout your time on the water!
The containers will be able to be accessed for the kit but you must take steps to do so safely in line with public health guidelines.
You will only be able to access equipment by arrangement and soft kit will only be available on long term loan. That means soft kit, buoyancy aids, cags, helmets, spraydecks and so on must be taken home after use. Please care for these until we can arrange for loaned equipment to be returned!
We would also like to allocate boats and paddles where members can store and transport them securely so long as that arrangement will not unduly limit use for others. Members will be allowed to use such loaned boats and paddles at other sites/venues as agreed with the club.
We aim to increase people’s opportunities for exercise and reduce any cross contamination
Note: we are NOT offering formal club sessions. We will NOT be offering any safety cover. Members using club boats and kit will have to be responsible for their own safety around, on and in the water.
Notes:
Only members of Pennine CRC should be using club boats and kit.
We are unable to provide safety cover – so only competent paddlers will be signed off to paddle.
Members who consider themselves competent to paddle independently and who would like to be signed off should email penninecrc@gmail.com or message the facebook page – we will arrange a briefing, give details for payments and arrange access to Battyeford.
Members may also be signed off to supervise others whilst on the water.
Signed off members will need to notify the club when they intend to use club boats and kit.
The current UK Govt. Social distancing guidelines should be observed at all times. Please do not congregate in groups on or off the water.
Members with private boats stored at the Club should email penninecrc@gmail.com or message the facebook page to gain access.
Updates will be posted on our Social Media channels
Any questions? Please ask!
I thought its worth updating everyone with recent activity within the club particularly as many of you have been asking about the plans for the summer.
Two weeks ago we were contacted by Younger Holmes who own the site at RoKT issuing us 28 days notice to remove all our equipment from the land and revoking our access agreement. Given we had only signed an extension to the agreement a week before it was a shock and has delayed planning for summer.
We have contacted both Younger Holmes and RoKT to discuss their decision without reply. We have asked British Canoeing to take up negotiating continued access as other clubs and paddlers us the facilities which are also listed on the canoe trail.
After getting over the disappointment that we are losing the venue that has provided so much fun and learning on moving water we start to plan for the future. On Tuesday 24th we will move two containers from RoKT to Battyeford, a number of people are helping with the move but I’m sure a couple more pairs of hands would help.
Over the next few months we will be laying some concrete foundations to move other storage and equipment that we have been able to get use of, to Battyeford. We will be returning the 40ft container to the company we rent it from to help reduce our operating costs and allow investment in club equipment. The loss of the 40ft container will result in the short and medium term difficulties in storing all the kit the club requires, we will be looking to manage this through:-
Selling surplus boats. ~ If you see the posts please share widely to help. If you can help please contact Jack or Ian.
Offer items on year long loan to members for a nominal fee. ~ this fee will be in lieu of weekly hire fees and contribute to repairs of the club fleet. If you are interested please contact Phil.
Scope alternative sites for club to use. ~ it is unlikely we will be allowed to store anymore containers at Battyeford so if we can raise funds for another large container we will need to remove some to another site.
As I’m sure you appreciate this is hampering our plans to start summer sessions outside. If all goes to plan next week we should be able to set a date to start Tuesdays at Battyeford.
We are looking at a summer program with at least one session every weekend either:-
recreational river trip
youth polo coaching
river racing
Slalom come and try it
tootle at Battyeford
hasler marathon race
Coaching development
Pool session
Elsewhere
We have had a positive meeting with the pool which most significantly has confirmed we can run sessions with 24 participants which will avoid some of the misunderstandings we have had over the winter. We may continue Saturday evenings through summer if we can get sufficient coaches to run a program.
Jack has been nominated by the club as young coach of the year. The awards are announced in the autumn please like and comment on Jack kayak coach page to provide your support.
Many of you were involved in the community clean up at Battyeford
We are continuing to progress running the new performance awards in the club with jack as another accredited provider.
Go Membership system is now being populated please join and link yourself to the club. This is where we will advertise our program in future and manage club membership. go Membership sign up
Pennine Polo A Team followed up their second place in the National league with a third place in the championship knockout.
Our young polo players competing in Yorkshire Div 3 finished in a veritable mid table position winning many plaudits for their development over the season.
A number of paddlers took part in the first if the season Sprints Regatta’s winning medals and setting personal bests
We also have paddlers regularly competing in WW racing and NFL which is the Nottingham Freestyle League, not the Northowram Flamenco League.
Watch out for up and coming social events which will incorporate an awards night and the AGM.
I’d like to thank the committee and other volunteers who have been working so hard over the winter to strengthen the club’s base so we can continue to grow the club. There is loads more to do and if you think you can help with either supporting coaching, admin at sessions, or fundraising please get in touch
It’s a challenging time but I have to say I haven’t felt such a positive buzz about the club for many years.
Pennine Canoe and Rowing Club on River Clean Up Duties
On Sunday 7th April, volunteers from Pennine Canoe and Rowing Club turned out at Shepley Bridge Marina to support an annual clean up / litter-pick organised by the Mirfield Community Partnership in partnership with the Calder Navigation Society and Safe Anchor Trust.
Recent floods had washed huge amounts of litter down the River Calder… but there’s rather less there now!
Pennine Canoe & Rowing Club
British Canoeing’s #ClearAccessClearWaters Campaign
British Canoeing will continue to act to protect and improve the health of our rivers; working to protect, preserve and enhance the natural environment.
Clear Access, Clear Waters – Protect & improve the health of our rivers
GB Head Coach and Team Manager Paul Anderson has announced the squads for the forthcoming World Championships of Wild Water Racing – and Pennine CRC’s Rob Jefferies will be representing Great Britain in Men’s K1 🙂
We were invited to help by the Canal & River Trust. We’re a Mirfield-based club and in our future plans we are hoping to build a boathouse on the island and also put in a nature trail. Whenever possible, we like to try and help the local community – Matty Beck, Pennine CRC
Last Saturday, canoeists and canal enthusiasts combined to clean up the banks of the Calder & Hebble Navigation between Battyeford Island and Ledgard Flood Lock – work which has been needed since the devastation caused by the massive New Year floods of December 2015 / January 2016.
Such was the scale of last winter’s floods that some of the litter ended up 10 feet above the canal’s current level. Reaching this required the skills of Pennine Canoe and Rowing Club, who were only too happy to help.
Temperatures of three degrees welcomed the workers who soon warmed to their task and collected over 20 sacks of rubbish, mainly plastic bags and cans, a six-foot length of metal fencing and a discarded fridge.
Kirklees College’s “Challenge, Adventure & Exploration” Group is a Satellite Club of Pennine CRC and will feature in the forthcoming issue of the College’s “KC Buzz” magazine!
Last weekend, Pennine CRC continued an established tradition of British success at the Setúbal Cup with a win documented and celebrated (with footage of games and interviews) by FPCanoagem TV…
Additional coverage of Pennine in action:
Pennine Canoe and Rowing Club has had an active Canoe Polo scene for more than 20 years. Youngsters and senior players alike train on the River Calder in Mirfield and at in Pool Sessions at Dewsbury Sports Centre, with teams competing at all levels of both the national and regional league structures.
Pennine’s A team competes in the highly competitive National league 1 and contains players who are either current or former members of the Great Britain National teams. Pennine members have competed at European and World Championships.
To claim the 2016 Setúbal Cup, the team contested games over two days with top teams from Portugal, The Netherlands and Spain. The win continues a tradition of British success in the event, with Meridian Canoe Club having won in 2000 and 2004.
Join us on the river or help from the bank – all welcome!
The River Calder is a great place for everyone to enjoy.
On the 5th of November between 10am and 1pm the Canal & River Trust will be running a volunteer day, doing a general clean up along the River from Battyeford to Ledgard Bridge.
The Safe Anchor Trust and Pennine Canoe and Rowing Club will be providing volunteers in boats to undertake a clean up within the river.
We are looking for volunteers to join the clean up along the river bank. Starting from the canal next to Waterside Walk off Wood Lane, WF14 0ED
Canal and River Trust coordination: Tom Wright – T 07833 480 567 / Etom.wright@canalrivertrust.org.uk
Environment Kirklees is a voluntary sector organisation formed from the merging of Kirklees Environment Partnership, Kirklees Wildlife & Landscape Partnership and Environment Alliance Ltd operator of Greenstreams.
Pennine CRC is now listed as a local voluntary and community sector organisations with “vested interest in supporting our local natural environment” as we also aim to “promote, protect and enhance our local environment with the support of the local community” 🙂
Environment Kirklees is a voluntary sector organisation formed from the merging of Kirklees Environment Partnership, Kirklees Wildlife & Landscape Partnership and Environment Alliance Ltd operator of Greenstreams.