Club News

For anything published on the Website as a news item.

Report: AquaPaddle 28th September

The first AquaPaddle took place Sunday 28th September on the River Lee from the White Water Centre. 10 paddlers tackled 5k in a variety of craft and with a range of skill sets, with some racing, some relaxing, some litter picking….but enjoyed by all. Our thanks to Martin and Reuben for safety cover and their organisation. This was a first for LVPC and it is hoped that these paddles will take place monthly. Look out for the dates and joining instructions for future AquaPaddle events…come and join us and still have time for a WW paddle afterwards.

Time to Renew!

For Club Members who have a 2024/2025 membership, your membership expires on 30th September 2025 – so it is time for an October 1st renewal! Following our September AGM’s decision to return the Club to an April to March membership year, there will be two renewal options to get your membership into an annual cycle that starts in April: There is a small discount built-in to the 18 month membership fee. We are delighted to announce a reduction in our Junior and Family Membership fees thanks to an anonymous benefactor who has generously donated a subsidy to help make paddling more accessible for young people. Our six month and 18 month membership fees, with discounts and subsidies applied, are as follows:

New Club Membership Year

For our many current Club Members, memberships will need renewing from 1st October 2025, but just for this year, the options available for renewing membership will be a little different. Here’s why: At our September 2025 AGM it was agreed the Club would return to a Membership Year that starts on 1st April each year, and not, as currently, the 1st October. We moved to the 1st October to accommodate all the months of lost paddling during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns, but it suits us much better to get back to a 1st April start. So, as our current memberships become renewable for 1st October 2025, there will be two options available to get you back to an April-to-March annual membership cycle. You will be able to either renew for six months to 31st March 2026, or you will be able to renew for 18 months to 31st March 2027. Details on these options and the fees agreed by the AGM will be published on WebCollect with updates in the weekly Club News and on this website.

AquaPaddle on 28th September 2025

AquaPaddle is coming to Lee Valley on Sunday, 28th September! The Club is hosting an AquaPaddle 5km event open, on the Lee Navigation canal to all Club Members in any craft* on Sunday 28th September. Meet at 09:30 to be on the water for 10am. Anyone wanting to paddle or volunteer needs to register on www.aquapaddle.org to get your number/register your qualifications etc and please then also send an email to Reuben (reuben.sweetman@gmail.com) who will arrange to get you registered for the event. Spectators are more than welcome and we hope all of you (i.e. paddlers, volunteers and spectators) can join us afterwards for an – entirely optional – celebratory bite to eat and something to drink in the Whitewater Centre cafe. *You don’t even have to bring your own craft! LVPC’s Flatwater Racing group can potentially supply a range of suitable craft. If this is of interest, please email Reuben at reuben.sweetman@gmail.com (ideally WELL before the event) so we can try to accommodate. We look forward to seeing you all.

Sea Kayaking Report

With thanks to sea kayaking leader Adrian Simpson for the following trip report: The Isle of Wight trip was a success, at least in the sense that we got there. The winds were too strong for the full circumnavigation, but Friday’s consolation prize was a thrilling out & back from Hurst Point to the Needles, returning through the Trap tide race. Saturday’s day paddle was a 10 mile downwind run around Beachy Head, while Sunday offered a welcome change of pace with a scenic pootle up the Beaulieu River. Quite a lot of driving, but worth it to get the best locations on the south coast in perfect conditions. More trips will be arranged for October and November, keep an eye on Club News. 

AGM 2025: Chair’s Report on the Year

At our 2025 Club AGM, Jonathan Males reported on the 2024/25 year, thanking all those who had contributed to the Club’s ongoing success. ” I’m pleased to report on a successful year for our club, that has been enabled by the club members who volunteer to keep sessions safe and coach other members to grow in confidence, by dedicated committee members who give their time and expertise, and by deepening collaboration with our key partners Paddle UK, Lee Valley Whitewater Centre, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, and local clubs such as Whoosh Explore, Shepperton, and Viking Kayak Club. I will leave the detailed Financial Report to our capable Treasurer Marie Bauerova, who has done a magnificent job managing our ingoings and outgoings, supported by our Finance Sub Committee (Carl Upsall, Mark Corti, and myself). I am delighted that our financial situation is stabilising and I’m confident that with continued attention to costs we can maintain our viability. For example, we will again run shorter ‘winter hours’ from December to April, and you will be asked to approve a small regular increase in annual membership fees. Whilst cheaper access to the whitewater course is one benefit of club membership, I hope …

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LVPC Update From the Chair

Changed winter hours The General Committee of the Club has reviewed the recent survey results, and we will move to winter hours of 7.00 pm to 8.30 pm in January. Bank Safety will work in two, 45-minute shifts. The cost of a 90-minute session will be £10 for the Legacy and £15 for the Olympic. We realise that some people will not want to paddle for the full time, or may start late, so we hope that a single fee will keep things simple and encourage more people to paddle through winter. We anticipate keeping these hours in place till the end of February and reverting to 2 hours in March, starting at 6.30 pm. Winter Bank Safety We will continue to work in two shifts but these will be shorter than summer hours. Time on the bankside will be 45 minutes not 1 hour. Shift 1: Arrive onsite no later than 6.45 pm to collect trolleys and radios and be bankside by 6.55 pm. Remember the pumps cannot be turned on until our safety volunteers are in place. If you are late, the whole session will be late too. Shift 2: 7.45 pm, take over on bankside through to …

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Recreational Paddling in December & January

Recreational paddles are organised by Peter Nash and Jon Halden and are are listed for Club Members on SPOND. Please get in touch with Jon Halden at coachinglvpc@gmail.com to be added to the recreational paddling WhatsApp group. These seasonal paddles are a great way to catch up with friends during the Club Christmas break and invariably involve a pub visit! Future Paddle Dates: 15th Dec – Chelmer 21st Dec – Stort 29th Dec – Stour 1st Jan – Lea/Beane 4th Jan – Cam

Christmas Break

Our last Club Night before the Christmas break will be next week, Wednesday December 11th when both courses will be available for 6.30 and 7.30 sessions. We’ll bring you details of our return to Club Nights for the New Year 2025 as soon as we have confirmed water availability.

Christmas Get Together and Meal on 4th December

Details on WebCollect, please book and make your choices by 27th November. Family and friends are most welcome . There will be 6.30 to 7.30 paddling available on both courses, prior to dinner. Join us at the non-paddling event of the year!!

Throwline Rescue Workshop

20th November 6.30-7.30 pm This session will be led by member, Barra Liddy, a trainee Rescue Instructor, together with coach Rob Fleming This will be an opportunity to receive tuition, practise your skills, and sharpen your judgement for some essential rescue techniques. This session is aimed for everyone, whether you consider yourself a rescue pro, or a beginner in paddlesports. There is always room for improvement on accuracy, efficiency and speed of rescues for everyone. Please bring a throwbag with you if you own one. Meet in reception in full kit prepared to swim at 6.20 Booking on WebCollect now priced £5