Dear Club Members
I really enjoyed meeting so many of you at this week’s Christmas meal. The paddling session beforehand reminded me of what makes this a great club – people young and old paddling freestyle, slalom, race rafting and simply having fun on whitewater.
As we come to the end of the year and a pause in LVWWC based activities,
I wanted to acknowledge and say thank you to:
*All of those club members who have volunteered – to cover bank safety, welcome members at reception, coach fellow club members, organise trips and competitions, tidy the sheds, update websites, manage our finances, post on social media…
*David Redington and his team at Lee Valley Whitewater Centre, for the welcome partnership and collaboration.
*Pam Phillips and all the committee for your work behind the scenes.
* Martin Smyth, one of the club’s founding Directors, who will be standing down in 2026.
Some Club Highlights of 2025
*The summer inflatables session, where we discovered that pink flamingos are fine to go down the legacy course, but that certain other inflatable items are not (IYKYK !).
*The hotdog event, where I laughed more than I have laughed for a long time.
* Hosting the successful British Open Slalom, the most prestigious race of the year.
*More young people and families getting involved in our slalom programme, and a strong showing at the Inter Club championships.
* Sea kayaking trips to Mersea Island and Dorset.
* Club freestyle competitions.
*Getting our finances back in order.
What we can do better
As with most clubs, a small proportion of members carry the load. If you don’t fancy volunteering for bank safety, there are still many other ways to help the club to thrive. Please contact me if you are interested in finding a role.
Improved Communication: Please read the club email that Pam sends each Sunday! This will keep you up to date with club activities and news. You can also join the WhatsApp community and a range of subgroups to stay in touch. Your details will not be visible or shared if you simply join the community link.
Club survey
The 2026 survey is now open, please take a few minutes to give your feedback on the Club. We will share the results at the end of January and the committee will aim to respond to suggestions as best as possible.
Follow this link https://forms.gle/k7XVPy1q3QinU52u5
Looking ahead to 2026
Winter flatwater trips: Whilst we take a break from the whitewater centre (sessions resume 14 January 2026) there are still club activities. Peter Nash is hosting two flatwater trips, on the Stort on 21 December and Cambridge on 3 January. You can join the Spond group here to register https://spond.com/invite/UHTOR
Making Waves: We have secured funding to launch a local outreach programme, to encourage more local children to go paddling. Most sessions will run on the Lea Navigation, next to LVWWC, on Saturday mornings. Those who are keen will be encouraged to take part in marathon and sprint racing, as well as slalom. We will be training new paddlesport instructors to support this initiative. If you would like to get involved, or are interested in becoming qualified, please let me know.
More fun events: We want to offer more multi-disciplinary and inclusive events, that enable all club members to have fun on the water.
More whitewater trips. These are popular but don’t organise themselves. Let’s see if we can arrange a couple of weekends away – let me know if you can help.
British Open and international training camp. The Club will again be hosting the GB team selection races and the Open. Come to cheer on Club Members or get involved behind the scenes.
Thanks for your continued support and membership of the Club. I look forward to seeing you on the water in 2026 (if not before!)
Jonathan Males