Tag Archives: Stratford Herald

Stratford & King Edward The Sixth School Boat Clubs Shine Indoors at Worcester

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On a very frosty Sunday morning with the temperature reading -6’C, eight rowers from the Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s Wednesday Participation squad set off for King’s School Worcester Indoor Rowing Competition for their first taste of competitive rowing.

There was understandably a lot of nerves and trepidation, however the crew produced amazing results. For a group that was only put together in October and train once a week, they produced five individual personal bests and came away with a fistful of medals.

In the individual races, Annie Silvers took silver and Hannah Shilvock bronze in the Year 9 girls’ event whilst Ellis Bishop came away with silver in the Year 10 boys’ race.

In the relays, the Year 9 girls’ crew of Annie Silvers, Hannah Shilvock, Amelia Welton and Estelle Littleford produced an outstanding result just missing out on gold to take silver, in the process smashing their personal best.

The last race of the day, Ellis Bishop, Emma Francioni, Kate Currow and Ila Lane competed in the Year 11 mixed relay where despite three of them only being in Year 10, they secured a bronze medal.

Said Ralph Johnson, J16 Participation Coach, “The crew were understandably very pleased with their morning’s work and look forward to more events.”

Joining Stratford Boat Club at Worcester was Stratford’s sister club, King Edward The Sixth School Boat Club headed with a squad of twenty one athletes from Years 8-13.

First up were E. Appleton and J. Greenwood in the Year 8 four minute race: two strong rowers from Cheltenham College and the Royal Grammar School tore out in front leaving Ed and James battling it out for Bronze. It was neck and neck the whole way with James eventually coming away with the bronze just three minutes ahead of teammate Ed.

The next race saw Ed and James going again in the Year 8 one minute race with Ed just pipping James to Silver this time and James came away with a second bronze medal. Vondrak then took on the Year 10 500m race: he had a strong race finishing fifth overall in a large field.

I.Vondrak was joined by S. McMahon, O. Rowlands and C. Thompson for the Year 10 relay. The boys put in a strong performance, winning their heat and coming fourth overall.

Next it was time for the Year 11-13’s: T. Beard took on nine other rowers and came out on top with a very impressive row in the Sixth Form Boys 500m race.

The rest of the day was down to the relay teams with the Year 11 team of W. Dalrymple-Baker, M. Cullimore, H. Hoare and O. Rowlands putting in a strong performance to take home the bronze medal.

Next up were the two Sixth Form mixed relay teams, both teams put in a huge row to come away with Gold and Silver in what turned out to be the closest race of the day with T. Beard, M. Hall, K. Richardson and D. Shilvock (6:10.3) just pipping H. Noyes, E. Rose, T. Wilcock and A. Richardson (6:10.4).

With very little rest the girls’ crew of H. Noyes, A. Richardson, K. Richardson and H. Hoare went into the girls’ relay putting in another amazing effort to come away with gold. Followed soon after by the boys’ crew of E. Rose, T. Wilcock, T. Beard and D. Shilvock just missing out on a medal in the boys’ relay with the B crew of J. Nash, J. Kirby, F. Groves and H. Hoare coming in fifth place.

For media coverage, please see Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/medals-galore-at-indoor-championship-9295564 and page fifty three and Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-rowers-impress-at-worcester-indoor-rowing-competition

Onwards to 2023!

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It was a bright, sunny morning, and Stratford upon Avon Boat Club were out in force with twelve athletes competing in freshly assembled crews for the annual Boxing Day Regatta. First up was Team A: Martha Usselmann, Matt Meynell, Heather Hayton, Elisabeth Edwards and cox Cameron Dalrymple-Baker vs Team B: Jack Arrowsmith, Will Dalrymple-Baker, Jackie Josbury, Amanda Bowden and cox Katie Phillips. All crews raced twice, switching their lane after the first race. A quick start saw Team A draw ahead but Team B held their own, keeping level with Team A until the final few lengths of the race where Team A pulled away to take the first win of the day. Both teams had a quick turn around and were soon back up at the start, ready to go again. Another quick start from Team A saw them claim victory once more, with Team B battling with them to the end.

Both crews were pulled in and Team A swapped out with Team C: Katie Phillips, Ruby Howells, Cameron Dalrymple-Baker, Dave Edwards, and cox Elisabeth Edwards. Team B stayed on, swapping their cox for Martha Usselmann. Crews paddled up to the start and moved off with a strong start but the slightly fresher Team C gradually pulled away from Team B to take the lead, crossing the line just ahead of Team B. Both crews turned and headed back up on opposite sides. Once again both crews had a strong start, with Team C pulling away initially but Team B keeping the pressure on them. Team C crossed the line first but their aggressive racing line caused Team B to move close to the bank to avoid contact which led to the race being considered a draw.

Finally Team A swapped in with Team B, with both crews changing their coxes to Amanda Bowden (A) and Will Dalrymple-Baker (C). Both crews headed up to the start line for the final two races of the morning. Once more, quick starts from both crews were seen and they kept level with each other for the first half of the race. A burst of pressure from Team A as the crews passed the theatre saw them move away from Team C in the final stages of the race and take victory. Both crews took a leisurely paddle back up to the start in an attempt to catch their breath and lined up once more. Both crews were quick off the mark and kept level, with Team C starting to move ahead as the crews reached the halfway mark, however a well timed call from Team A’s cox saw the boat gain speed and move away from Team C just as the crews crossed the finish line.

With four wins across the morning, Team A were declared the victors and were each awarded a Stratford Boat Club tankard. Tankards were also awarded to all who coxed, as well as one being awarded to the brilliant finish marshal, who helped signal the end of each race.

Commenting, Paul Stanton, the Club’s President said, “Many thanks go to Trevor Tiller, Zöe Edwards, Helen Smith and Ian Wilcock for marshalling and to Dave Edwards for organising the event.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald pages forty and thirty eight.

For more great pictures of the Boxing Day Scratch Regatta, see David Phillips’ excellent selection https://1drv.ms/u/s!AiBE8NqoVVypgg6L22bLS2AnUG6E?e=3kjYqr

MASTERS CONQUER THE TIDEWAY!

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Mx E 4x Upton/Stratford upon Avon
Veterans’ Fours Head of the River 2022

The Veteran Fours Head took place on the Tideway on the River Thames in London on Sunday. The event raced over the 6.8km championship course from Mortlake to Putney, hosted no less than two hundred and thirty three crews from all over the UK competing in the premier long-distance race for four person crews and presented a spectacular sight with boats nose to tail along the river Thames waiting for the off.

With crews ranging from elite Olympians to octogenarians, the event gave the chance for everyone to show what they could do on what was a cold but sunny day and for the Thames, benign water conditions.

Stratford upon Avon Boat Club were dually represented by Heather Hayton and Thomas Doherty racing with their friends and long-time rowing partners from Upton Rowing Club Tabatha and Julian Scrivener in their masters mixed quad. This successful crew, current National Champions in their age group, had some serious unfinished business having lost the same competition last year by a mere one tenth of a second to their arch rivals Molesey Rowing Club.

With Molesey again in the competition, the stage was set for a big rematch. Molesey, with some outstanding rowers in the crew, were never going to surrender their title lightly and the stage was set for a gruelling race between two evenly matched crews with every stroke needing to count and no room for error. Starting two boats ahead of Molesey, the Stratford/Upton crew knew what they had to do if they were to overturn last year’s result and from the off, as the crew passed the start line, the boat kicked into gear. Commenting, Julian Scrivener, bow and steersman said, “As soon as we passed the start, I felt the boat surge and I knew we were all on it from the first stroke”. With Tabatha Scrivener at stroke laying down an excellent rhythm, the crew powered down the course settling into a strong rhythm at thirty three strokes per minute. Said Heather Hayton, experienced Stratford rower, “It was essential we had a good first kilometre as we knew Molesey would be fast out of the blocks and needed to hold them off.”

A powerful but efficient and relaxed rhythm was essential to maintain the Stratford/Upton boat speed and by Barnes Bridge, the crew had settled into their race plan. With the other competitors in the specific age category event falling by the wayside, it wasn’t long before Molesey overtook crews to position themselves directly behind the Stratford/Upton boat and the race was set for the next four kilometres of the course. Said Tom Doherty, the second Stratford crew member, ”We knew it was game on now and we came under sustained pressure from Molesey who knew they were in a race and were determined to catch us. The slightest mistake, even for one stroke, would have cost us the race: the pressure was immense!”

On a large river with a strong stream, conditions were fast, and this made it essential for the crew to steer a good course with so much time being lost for being out of position, Julian Scrivener had a huge job to keep the boat correctly positioned in the stream to maximise race conditions. Approaching Hammersmith bridge with approximately five kilometres gone and everybody feeling the pain and pressure, there was no observable difference in position between Molesey who still chased Stratford/Upton. Everybody in the crew knew no matter how tired and painful it was they could not let up even for a couple of strokes and coming under Hammersmith Bridge, it was time for another big push.

With the stroke rate maintained at thirty three strokes per minute, the boat was moving fast and the Stratford/Upton crew knew they had to seek out the smallest of gains over the remaining 1.8 kilometres. At this point in the race, several slower crews were encountered which can have a detrimental effect on boat speed as they are overtaken but this year there were no hold up as Stratford/Upton steered a great racing line past Fulham Football Club into the final stages at Putney.

Greeted by the amazing spectacle of crowds of rowers outside the Putney boat houses, it was now or never as the whole crew put in a final push to cross the line. With no energy for any display of relief or emotion, the crew had the satisfaction of knowing they had a great race and could not have gone any faster. Said former GB international rower Julian Scrivener, “That was one of the best quad races I’ve ever been in!” It was not obvious with Molesey crossing the line not far behind Stratford/Upton who had won with both crews exhausted and pensive and knowing they would now have to await the official results later in the day. Finally, the results when they came, they were all Stratford/Upton could have wished for in overturning last year’s result with a magnificent win over Molesey in a time of 21 minutes and 6.8 seconds to Mosley’s 21 minutes and 12.8 seconds! With the final comment, Heather Hayton said, “A year of hurt and hard training has paid off! I could not be more proud of my crew mates and in particular Julian who brought all his Tideway experience to bear in steering a magnificent course. We are shattered but happy!”

For media coverage, please see Stratford Herald pages fifty six and page fifty one and Stratford Observer https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-masters-conquer-the-tideway and back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2022/11/25&pages=024

We Will Remember Them

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The weekend has been a busy and poignant one for Stratford upon Avon Boat Club with Club members taking time out from rowing to remember those who died in World Wars, other conflicts and especially the Falklands War, now forty years ago

Stratford Boat Club’s remembrance started on Friday with a short wreath laying and two minutes silence to mark Armistice Day: Masters’ member Graham Cann laid wreaths commemorating Falklands veterans and especially his fallen colleagues in the Royal Marines. Graham was a Colour Sergeant in the Royal Marines Commandos during the Falklands War: the Club’s piper Joe Moore played before and after the two minutes silence

Joining Graham and his Boat Club colleagues was Kim Casey, sister of Petty Officer Aircrewman Ben Casey who was the first casualty of the Falklands War. Stratford Boat Club became aware of Ben thanks to Stratford Herald’s articles on Kim’s pilgrimage to the Falklands to honour her elder brother (https://www.stratford-herald.com/news/falklands-cove-named-after-fallen-brother-9282072 and https://www.stratford-herald.com/news/stratford-womans-search-for-peace-after-losing-brother-in-t-9264080)

On Remembrance Sunday, the whole Club stopped to meet around the Club’s memorial: as is Club tradition, wreaths were laid by the Club’s oldest member, Colin Upchurch, and the youngest member, Seb Happel, to remember Club members who gave their lives in wars and conflicts. Seventy six years separate Colin’s and Seb’s rowing and life experience! Again, the Club’s piper, Simon Moore, played during the act of remembrance

A memorable addition to this year’s Remembrance Day event was the dedication of a plaque commemorating the award of the Victoria Cross to one of the Club’s members, Squadron Leader Arthur ‘Pongo’ Scarf. Again, the interest in this Club member’s past was generated by Stratford Herald’s article on the sale of Arthur’s Victoria Cross (https://www.stratford-herald.com/news/arthur-scarf-from-stratford-nfu-to-heroic-raf-pilot-awarde-9253188) and Mark Dewdney’s, the Club’s archivist and Head Adaptive Coach, research in to Pongo’s past. Through an introduction by Spink & Son, the auction house which sold Arthur Scarf’s Victoria Cross, the Club was able to trace Pongo’s remaining relative, nephew John Hair, who laid a wreath to dedicate the new memorial plaque and honour Arthur’s bravery

Commenting on the weekend of remembrance, Paul Stanton, Stratford Boat Club’s President said, “Whilst the Club is a forward looking organisation with its sights set firmly on the future, we take this time to look back, pause and give thanks for those who served and died for their country and colleagues so that we may live in peace and pursue our sport with happiness and joy. Both Graham Cann’s and Arthur Scarf Scarf’s acts of service and bravery are an example to us all and an ever present reminder of the horrors of war”

For media coverage, please see Stratford Herald page nineteen and Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/stratford-upon-avon-boat-club-pay-respects-on-armistice-day-and-remembrance-sunday

MASTERS SCORE TWO OUT OF TWO!

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Stratford upon Avon Boat Club were represented by both a mixed double and women’s double at Stourport Small Boats Head and both Masters’ crews won!

Suzie Radley and Amanda Bowden enjoyed the fast stream taking 14 minutes 34 seconds to complete the 4K course. Suzie steered a good line, grateful for the cloud cover during the race and not having to stare into the sun. There
were no crews within reach so the double focused on pushing off the crews behind.

Kjersti Rogneflaten Woolley and Gary Clay enjoyed racing in a Masters’ mixed double for the first time since last June. In the slightly flooded swirly water, they were overtaken by a Men’s junior coxed quad that started just behind them. Kjersti and Gary then managed to overtake two Masters’ women’s doubles. This set them up for clear water and a good sprint for the finish which was just enough for a narrow win!

For media coverage, please see Stratford Herald page sixty eight and Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-double-delight-for-stratford-masters and also back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2022/11/18&pages=032

Turin: A Welcome Second to None!

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Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s adaptive section received a terrific welcome in Turin, Italy when fifteen athletes, helpers and coaches took part in Armida’s Rowing Club’s sixteenth annual celebration of para-rowing!

The two-day event attracted entries from several countries including Portugal and the United Kingdom. Sadly, some foreign crews were unable to attend due to an air traffic control strike in Italy. Over one hundred and fifty athletes took part in the racing.

Canottieri Armida (Armida Rowing Club) is the premier adaptive club in Italy. This commitment has been rewarded with excellent results, medals and para-rowers representing Italy.

Mark Dewdney, Stratford’s Head Adaptive Coach said “They have been running a squad for over twenty years compared with our seven years. We are the biggest in the UK with nearly athletes: Armida have eighty athletes!. Their adaptive team is just part of the club fabric: they focus on those with learning difficulties. You can see these athletes are treated with respect and understanding: they are happy and comfortable in their environment. It is inspirational. We can learn much from them. There are a few areas, I think, where the reverse is also true!”

Both clubs are working on an integrated mixed ability approach to rowing. The able-bodied and those with a disability training, racing and enjoying the sport together.

Mark said, “Much of the racing was club versus club but towards the end we mixed everyone up in fours and eights. People with different issues and from different countries racing together: great fun! We hope to be going back next October. The squad is now back home on the Avon: we hope the weather is kind for a little while yet before the winter bites”

Commenting on the adaptive squad’s very successful visit to Turin, Paul Stanton, the Club’s President said, “The welcome that Armida gave our rowers, coaches and helpers shows the international spirit that is so evident in the rowing community. We can learn a lot from their example. Mark Dewdney, our Head Adaptive Coach, presented Armida with a special trophy marking our thanks and lasting friendship”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/a-warm-welcome-to-para-rowing-festival-9282156 and page fifty seven and Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratfords-adaptive-squad-receive-warm-welcome-in-turin and back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2022/11/04&pages=024

For more pictures of the adaptive squad in Turin, see https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cXEy8hdLMoDIbDotkXbQfTIlsDUyzivn and https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jFZBKRIOcljzLbyZhuu_EdCsSTj8E1SW

Masters Triumph Again at Gloucester

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It was a win for the Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s Masters Women 2x of Suzie Radley and Amanda Bowden at Gloucester Head 5k in a time of 22.45mins. They were pleased to see the sun come out after a heavy downpour and enjoyed beautiful race conditions with a tail wind.

The race plan went well and overtaking the boat ahead at the half way point gave the ladies a boost and a crew to push off. Cheering from the support provided a further encouragement to up the efforts over the last 500m. Said Amanda Bowden, “Many thanks to Dan for towing the trailer and supporting us!”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald page fifty seven

Stratford’s J14 and J15’s Put Down A Marker at Evesham!

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Hot on the heels of Wallingford Long Distance Sculls last weekend, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s J14 and J15 squads were back in competitive action a few miles downstream on the Avon for Evesham Junior Head. Perfect conditions greeted the athletes as they warmed up for a day of against the clock racing over 1900m.

First to go were the WJ14 double scull crews of Isla Dunn with Millie Smith and Josephine Cooper with Martha Baines. With competition hot, the Dunn/Smith combination recorded fifth place with the Baines/Cooper outfit close behind in sixth place. Next were the WJ14 single sculls where Becca Smith and Tessa Parkin represented the Club. With nothing left on the course, the scullers recorded exactly the same time to finish equal third – quite something over a ten minute race. Last to take the water was the WJ14 coxed quadruple scull of Bryony Francis, Maeve Dunn, Sophie Franklin, Martha Cooke and Tessa Parkin (coxswain). The crew tore up the course leaving quality clubs such Headington School and Hinksey Sculling School in their wake to take the win in emphatic style with classy sculling on show.

First down the course for the J15 squad were the coxed quad of Theo Richter, Xavier Sissins-Rofey, Seth Vandrok, Ollie Rowlands, and Meg Nuttall (coxswain): despite a valiant effort, the boys could not close the gap between themselves and Hinksey Sculling School finishing in second place. Representing the girls were the WJ15 double sculls of Alice Jones with Poppy Baines finishing in fourth place and Sophie Evans with Alexandra Francis. Despite an untimely nosebleed and a clash with a slower boys’ crew from Royal Grammar School Worcester the Evans/Francis combination finished in second, missing out on the medals by just four seconds.

For media coverage, see Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-junior-rowers-lay-down-a-marker-in-evesham and back sports page https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2022/10/14&pages=024 and also Stratford Herald page fifty one

For more great pictures of Stratford Juniors at Evesham Rowing Club Junior Head, see Kathy Baines’ excellent selection https://1drv.ms/u/s!AgY7EiDB2lCOhbJnPzqq34Axw27Z_g?e=hFrKXg

Stratford Sets The Thames Alight!

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Saturday saw the opening head race of the new season on the Thames in Oxfordshire. Wallingford Long Distance Sculls, held over 4.25km, attracts top level scullers from around the region with Stratford fielding crews across the age range. Stratford’s J14 squad raced in the short course event for their head racing debut: it was to be an all Stratford affair with no other J14 coxed quadruple sculls entered. Undeterred, the Stratford girls took the competition by the horns with the crew of Martha Cooke, Maeve Dunn, Poppy Warren, Bryony Francis and Isla Dunn (coxswain) leading the way down the course being chased by Millie Smith, Tessa Parkin, Josephine Cooper, Martha Baines and Sophie Franklin (coxswain).  In the final analysis, it was Sophie’s crew who took the win with just ten seconds separating the two crews over the eight minute course.

The J15’s raced in their first long distance event: the boys crew of James Albrighton, Xavier Sissins-Rofey, Seth Vondrak, Ollie Rowlands, and Lucy Yang (coxswain) were one of the first crews down the course and finished second in their age group losing out to a local crew. Following the boys in hot pursuit were Sophie Evans, Alexandra Francis, Lily Warren, Alice Jones and Poppy Baines (coxswain). The girls were challenged from the start due to the loss of their rudder: undeterred, Baines ensured her crew navigated the course without further incident finishing fourth in their age group.

The J16 squad started the day with the women’s coxless quad of Esme Elfwood, Eloise Cooper, Nancy Davis and Harriet Froom. New to coxless racing at J16, they steered a good course, rowing a tidy race to finish fourth from a field of eight. Next down the course in the Open Double category were Jamie Wilcock and Will Dalrymple-Baker putting up a strong performance to finish a very respectful third.

In the afternoon division, the women’s doubles started with Lucy Sartain and Aimee Appleton who, following an incident with a rogue boat that caused them to stop, powered on to finish fourth. They were closely followed by Jessica Long and Megan Rowan who showed great form to finish seventh. Rounding off the day were Scarlett Richardson and Molly Vondrak in the highly competitive singles event, both displaying great technical ability and strength with Richardson finishing eighth and Vondrak securing the win by a good margin with an under twenty minute time.

The J17 and J18 squad began the day with the two Open J18 doubles of Tomi Wilcock and Charles Happel and Will Beattie and Toby Sartain. Wilcock and Happel set off first, delivering a convincing performance to finish in first place. Beattie and Sartain followed them down the course, rowing well and coming home happy in third place with what they described as the best they could have achieved. Next came Freya Watts in the Open Women’s single event who sculled confidently to finish in sixth place in a competitive field. Just behind her came Harriet Noyes, Amalia Richardson and Grace Beason, all in the WJ17 singles event, who finished in second, fifth and twenty second places respectively, rounding out a strong showing for the squad in the singles

In the afternoon division, Beattie, Wilcock, Happel and Sartain raced in the Open J18 quads event. They set off well, catching the boat ahead, however trouble struck before halfway as an equipment failure caused them to have to stop, losing a lot of time before they could get moving again demoting them to seventh position from what could have been a much better result. The last race for the squad was the Open Women’s quad of Watts, Beason, Noyes and Richardson. They too set off assuredly, rowing neatly and consistently in another competitive event. They came across the line in an excellent sixth after a long day of intense racing.

Whilst the junior squad were recovering from their successes at Wallingford, Sunday saw Stratford upon Avon Boat Club Masters head off to London for the national Pairs Head of the River race. Held over the famous Tideway varsity boat race course on the Thames over 4.5km, for two crew boats in pairs [one oar each rowers], and doubles [two oars], the event attracted over 330 competitors from across the country. Stratford Boat Club were represented by Ed Lewry and Nick Sartain racing in Open Club Doubles and Heather Hayton and Tom Doherty racing in Mixed Masters’ Doubles.

First Stratford crew off on the day was Heather Hayton and Tom Doherty, the thirtieth boat to start. With conditions considerably more benign than on the previous day, the crew were able to settle into their race plan and chase down the much fancied Walton mixed crew starting in front of them.

Pulling away from some of their immediate competitors starting behind, they managed to open a gap and settled down to chase Walton, managing to maintain their starting distance to them for the first half of the course. The second half of the race saw them working to push away from a number of crews starting just behind including previous winners Upton and Mosley.

At the end of the race the crew failed to catch Walton rowing strongly over the second half of the course who finished a magnificent eighty sixth overall with the third fastest woman in the whole event in their boat. Although they failed to catch Walton, the crew held off and pushed away from the crews behind to finish in a time of 15mins 21 sec, one hundred and fifty third overall and second in their event.

The best was yet to come however with Ed Lewry and Nick Sartain: starting in one hundred and thirty third position in the middle of a strong pack of crews including the GB/Leander crew of Dawson/Rossiter, the crew settled into an early rhythm and were able to use their power and fitness to row through a number of crews down the course. A very strong finish as they approached Hammersmith Bridge saw them close on several other crews finishing in a magnificent time of 14 mins and 11 secs for a fantastic overall finish position of thirty second and third in their event.

Said Heather Hayton afterwards, “We were very pleased with our race keeping the boat speed at 1.44/500m splits for the whole course and left nothing in the tank at the end, finishing only five seconds behind our quad crewmates and event winners Upton and four seconds behind big rivals Molesey: however, the biggest cheer of the day  must go to Ed and Nick for their magnificent achievement which made for a great days racing.”

For media coverage, please see Stratford Herald page fifty eight and Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-start-new-season-in-style

Toyota GB Community Fund Award for Boat Club

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Last week, Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s adaptive squad were fortunate to be awarded a substantial grant from the Toyota GB Community Fund. The Toyota Community Fund is a programme of small grants designed to help local charities, clubs and community projects: since its inception in 2011, Toyota GB have supported over 650 projects and provided over £1,100,000. This investment has helped set up and enriched multiple organisations and has supported social focussed projects aimed to benefit health and wellbeing and has also been of benefit those needing increased mobility allowing those with physical impairments to better engage with their environment and aspirations

Commenting, Mark Dewdney, Stratford Boat Club’s Head Adaptive Coach, said, “The award has come at a crucial time for Stratford Boat Club and the adaptive squad. Because of our expansion over the years enabling us to offer rowing to a wider cohort of disabled athletes, we need more specialised equipment and training if members are to attain greater skills and inclusivity. Some immediate expenditure will be made of two sets of specially engineered blades (oars) for the athletes and training courses tailored to their needs”

At the presentation, Paul Stanton, President of Stratford upon Avon Club said, “We are massively indebted to Toyota GB: the award has come about because of our close relationship with Listers Toyota Stratford and their involvement with the Club and especially the adaptive section. This fits well with Toyota GB’s sponsorship and involvement with the Paralympics and adaptive sport: our thanks to Richard Burt, Centre Principal for Listers Toyota Stratford and Joseph Hawkins, Marketing Manager for Listers Group Ltd for introducing the Club to Toyota GB and supporting our application. The relationship goes from strength to strength!”

For media coverage, please see Stratford Observer online https://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/stratford-boat-club-awarded-grant-from-toyota-gb-community-fund and Stratford Herald page fifty nine and https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/grant-comes-at-crucial-time-for-growing-adaptive-squad-9277097