FAQs

When can I become a member of Lee Valley Paddlesports Club?

  • Lee Valley Paddlesports Club membership is available at any time, but please check at the time you want to join as to how much of that membership year is left to run. To take account of the disruption caused by the Lockdowns imposed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we adjusted several times what used to be our traditional membership year. Our Club Year now runs from 1st October to 30th September.
  • Information on the Club is available from:

www.leevalleypaddlesportsclub.org

LVPCmembership@gmail.com

Facebook – Twitter – Instagram

Why is it called a ‘paddlesports’ club?

We want the Club to be an inclusive one, offering members opportunities across the breadth of water-based paddle sports. We would like to see all the different disciplines of canoeing, kayaking, rafting, and paddle boarding all thriving within the Club.

Why is the Club referred to as Lee Valley Paddlesports Club Ltd?

  • The Club was established as an incorporated club to minimise and restrict the liability of its members. This has been achieved by registering the Club as a company limited by guarantee and without share capital – Lee Valley Paddlesports Club Ltd. Every member of the Club becomes a member of the Company but the Club is a separate legal entity. It is also a good starting point if we choose to apply for charitable status in the future. Should anything ever happen that causes the Club to close down, and it does so with debts, then each Member has their financial liability limited to just £1.

How can I become a member of the Club?

  • The Club is open to people of all abilities as long as they are over 8 years of age.
  • To find out more on the types of membership and the current fees, and, to complete an application form, please go to the Membership pages of this website.

Why am I asked if I am a British Canoeing member?

  • As a Club that is affiliated to British Canoeing, we need to provide a statistical return on membership.
  • British Canoeing provide benefits to the Club as a whole including insurances.
  • The Club needs to pay a levy for any Club members that are not individually registered.

How much is the Club membership fee?

  • We have Individual and Family membership fees, and a membership fee structure that is reduced proportionally in the second half of our membership year. To get the up-to-date fee rates, please follow  the links on our Membership page on this website.

What are the benefits of membership?

  • Membership of an exciting and developing Club at an iconic Olympic venue.
  • Exclusive Club-only sessions at LVWWC, and at discounted rates.
  • Coaching opportunities, peer paddling, trips, social functions, competing as a team.

What is Club Night?

  • Currently Wednesday night when we have exclusive access to water times at the Lee Valley White Water Centre. We aim to provide water sessions on the Lake, the Legacy Loop and the Olympic Course but these are always subject to the facilities being available to book, by the Club, from LVWWC.
  • Club Night is not limited to any one paddle sport discipline.

How much does Club Night cost?

  • For up-to-date details on our fees, please contact our Membership Secretary LVPCmembership@gmail.com

Does the Club pay to use LVWWC or is it free?

  • Yes, the Club needs to pay the Centre for hire of the water courses.

Should I book if I want to attend a Club session?

  • All Club sessions held at the Lee Valley White Water Centre need to be booked through our online booking system. You may only book if you are a Club Member.
  • You may only book on to sessions for which you are qualified to paddle.
  • Non-members may only participate if specifically permitted, and, restrictions exist on when and whether this is possible. You will need to contact our Membership Secretary or use the Contact Form on this website to get up-to-date information on what is available at the time.

Will Club sessions be for limited numbers of paddlers?

For the safety and enjoyment of all, limits will need to be placed on activities at the Centre or at other locations.

  • Our booking system limits the number of places made available for each paddling session based on the risk assessments for the session types.
  • The number of boats on the Legacy and/or Olympic courses at any one time will be managed and limited by the Club and those overseeing safety on each session.

Do I sign-in before going on the water?

  • Club members are expected to sign-in at the Club’s Club Night reception desk before going on the water.
  • Do not expect to paddle on a Club Night session if you have not booked in advance.
  • The Club is responsible for supervision of Club sessions except when alternative provision has been made.

If I don’t have all the necessary equipment, or I need to borrow a boat, is there any help available?

  • The Club has a selection of equipment that may be hired from the Club for Club activities. Some of our coached sessions, especially for beginners, will include kit in the price of the session.
  • The Lee Valley White Water Centre has a good stock of equipment that can be hired, and the on-site shop ‘Above and Below’ has kit for sale.

Can I store my boat at the Centre?

  • Rentable boat bays at the Centre are currently full.

Will there be coaching available?

  • * PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE CURRENTLY RESTRICTIONS ON COACHING IN ACCORDANCE WITH COVID-19 RISK ASSESSMENTS.
  • The Club continues to develop its own coaching capability but for any given Club session coaching may be limited based on which of our volunteer coaches are available. We encourage members and prospective members to discuss their coaching needs with us so that we can consider how best to help them.
  • The Club also works with the Centre and British Canoeing to identify and develop coaching opportunities.
  • When coaches are available to run specific courses, the sessions will be offered to our members.
  • Contact our coach volunteers direct: coaching@leevalleypaddlesportsclub.org

Will I need an assessment to be able to go on the Legacy or Olympic during a Club session?

  • Club members will only be allowed on the Legacy and Olympic if they have passed their assessment or are booked to be accompanied by one of our qualified coaches on a Club-approved paddler development session.
  • The Club’s designated coaches and leaders are responsible for validating competency or conducting assessments on Club members to ensure they are paddling on water appropriate to their skills, and to ensure that the Club’s water-based risk assessments are being complied with.
  • We seek to offer supervised and coached opportunities to members who are looking for progression.

What is WebCollect and why does the Club use it?

  • WebCollect is a flexible and easy to use online solution for clubs and societies to manage membership subscriptions and events.
  • The Club adopted it for use as the way to run a water booking system for our members, a role which had previously been undertaken temporarily on our behalf by the LVWWC.
  • To run effectively as a booking system we need membership information on the solution and it is therefore also the system through which membership applications and renewals are processed.
  • WebCollect enables the Club to take payments online at ‘point of sale’. As with most organisations since the start of the 2020 Covid pandemic, we are keen to minimise the handling of cash and cheques.