Monday, 28th June 2004
A huge new initiative was launched today under a sponsorship deal from ManGroup plc, the investment specialists. ManGroup are funding the creation of the London Youth Rowing scheme, a joint venture between London Youth and the Royal Albert Dock Trust, who run the London Regatta Centre. The launch was headed up by Sir Steve Redgrave, Katherine Grainger, Barbara Cassani and Richard Caborn: Grainger is acting as an ambassador for London Youth Rowing. It is backed by the ARA and is strongly connected to the Project Oarsome programme, as well as having support from London 2012 and the Henley Royal Regatta Stewards' Charitable Trust.
The point of the scheme is to bring London's youngsters into sport, but the plan has been carefully devised and offers much more than the usual "access" initiatives. Backed by ManGroup, London Youth Rowing is offering free coaching, transport and use of the Docklands facilities to every one of the 80,000 members of the 500 LY clubs in Greater London - whatever their abilities or aims.
While some of the young people who try out an erg and then learn to scull in the London Docklands tank will move into the Talent ID scheme and go on to row at a high level, the RADT is also offering its After-Schools Programme for youngsters at risk from social exclusion. For them, high-performance rowing is not necessarily the answer, but normal recreational involvement in a sport offers the chance to escape a cycle of deprivation and disadvantage, and build ambition and achievement. For others, rowing will become a recreation not an obsession, but that is fine too.
The new scheme is inclusive, catering for individuals from all types of backgrounds as well as adaptive (disabled) children who want to learn to row. The Docks were the training centre for Britain's international adaptive rowing team in 2003, and now run UK Adaptive Rowing, for future Paralympians.
The first programme will be run this summer, with a course for those aged 12 to 18 at the London Regatta Centre.
For more information, see the London Docklands Powered Tank brochure (PDF file) or any of the external links above.