Regatta set up/clear up - Steve Bull 566481/ 07786 034941

Breakfasts, refreshments & the sandwich bash - Josie Bull - 566481

Bar - Steph Hickman - 613077

With my thanks in anticipation - Steve Bull, Regatta Secretary.

Ryde Rowing Club held its Annual Presentation Dinner on Saturday, 20th November, at Yelfs Hotel, Ryde where the first meeting of the Club was held in 1877.

Guest of honour was the Islands most successful oarsman, Louis Attrill, the winner of an Olympic Gold Medal as part of the GB Eight at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, who was accompanied by his wife Stephanie. Other guests included Kerry Cooley, the Marketing manager of Club Sponsors Wightlink and her husband Toby and Club Vice President and Island MP Andrew Turner.

Club Captain Pete Hewison welcomed the members and guests and thanked them for attending and for their support of the Club over the last year and invited Louis Attrill to respond on behalf of the guests and propose the toast to the Club. Before Louis spoke his 2000 Olympic triumph was shown on a large screen - and he then gave an entertaining speech that touched on many aspects of the commitment and motivation required to win an Olympic Gold Medal which was inspiring - especially for the Club successful Junior members in attendance - which were also able to try his gold medal on.

Following a presentation on the Clubs achievements in 2010 which included a gold and bronze medal at the GB Master Championships and a Southcoast Championship for the boys J15 Quad, as well as a Henley win, GB National Championships Gold Medals and England representation for Club members, Louis helped Club's Rowing Captain Graham Reeve present the Annual Awards. The Coxswain's Cup was awarded to Bryony Reeve who also won the Ladies Cup, Holly Evans won the First Year Oarswomen Trophy and the First years Oarsman’s Trophy was shared between Max Reeve and Harvey Kirkby. Ian Hayden was awarded the Men's Trophy, the Coaches Cup was awarded to Steve Bull and the Committee Cup to Pete and Jan Allsopp. The traditional "First Hants & Dorset ARA win" Club spoons were awarded to Max Reeve, Sam Corney, Charlie Gedling, Dale Buckett and Andreas Hicks plus the long overdue award of a spoon to Sue Pike.

Bryony Reeve, on behalf of the Clubs Juniors, made a brief speech of thanks and small presentation to their coach and Rowing Captain Graham Reeve who was standing down from this role after five years and her sentiments were echoed by the Clubs Senior Rowing members who presented him with a tankard and Club Captain Pete Hewison who presented him with the final award of the evening - the Captains Cup.

A raffle and auction were held to raise funds for the Clubs nominated charity - the Naomi House Children's Hospice - with valuable prizes generously donated by Wightlink, which raised over £800 - which when added to other fundraising undertaken by the Club during the year will that led to a donation of over £1,000 being made to Naomi House at a special presentation in December.

The Club intends to compete in a number of mainland Head Races over the next few months as they continue their preparations for the Hants & Dorset ARA Coastal season which starts with Poole Regatta on the 21st May. The Clubs Annual Regatta off Appley Beach, near their Appley Park Clubhouse takes place on Saturday, 4^th June and the Club is pleased to be able to announce that Ward House Financial Service, the Ryde based financial advisers, have agreed to continue their long standing sponsorship of the Regatta.

The success of the Club's Junior section has once again led to the sports governing body - British Rowing - to allocate them a Henley Stewards Charitable Trust Coach who has started work at the Club on a part-time basis supporting the Junior section and a Club Coach who will be providing further occasional support to the clubs older athletes and will provide some training and mentoring for the Clubs Volunteer Coaches

Sunday, 6^th March Christchurch Head of the Stour

Sunday, 20^th March Southampton Eights & Small Boats HORR

Saturday, 9^th April Junior Inter-Regionals, Nottingham

Sunday, 17th April Southampton Coastal Fours HORR

Saturday, 21^st May POOLEREGATTA

Saturday, 28^th May MILFORD (LYMINGTON) REGATTA

Saturday, 4^th June RYDE REGATTA

Sunday, 5^th June SHANKLIN REGATTA

Saturday, 12^th June British Rowing Masters Championships

Saturday, 18^th June WOOLSTON REGATTA

Saturday, 25^th June ITCHEN IMPERIAL REGATTA

Saturday, 2^nd July SWANAGE REGATTA

Friday 8^th to Saturday, 9^th July Henley Masters.

Saturday, 9^th July SOUTHSEA REGATTA

(Fri, 15^th to Sun, 17^th July National Championships.(Nottingham).

Saturday, 23^rd July COALPORTERS REGATTA

Saturday, 30^th July NEWPORT REGATTA

Saturday, 6^th August BOURNEMOUTH REGATTA

Saturday, 13^th August BTC REGATTA

Saturday, 20^th August CHRISTCHURCH REGATTA

Saturday, 10^th September South Coast Junior Regatta and South Coast

South Coast Championships Regatta, Eton Dorney.

Dates still to be advised:

The three Isle of Wight Rowing Clubs – Newport, Ryde and Shanklin, with support from the IW Council Sports Unit and the Wessex Regional Rowing Council agreed to form the Isle of Wight Rowing Forum in December, 2009. it’s first elected Chairman being Gary Walters of Shanklin with Steve Bull from Ryde as Secretary and John Kerr of Newport as Treasurer. The purpose of the forum is to provide a platform for improved communications and collaboration between the clubs and other interested parties on the Island and to encourage and develop good practice within the IOW clubs, creating opportunities for further training and education whilst encouraging and developing safe practices in the sport. The forum aims to help to provide equal opportunities to participate in rowing regardless of culture, type of rowing boat, location, commitment, affiliation, age, gender, disability, faith and ethnic origin and to play an active part in developing rowing as part of the broader sporting and social agenda on the IOW. Part of the plan is to help create links between schools indoor rowing clubs and local water based clubs to increase the number of Young People taking part in rowing and foster an environment that encourages long term participation and to provide a welcoming environment and support for participants to enjoy the sport at whatever level they choose to participate.

One of the first projects the IW Rowing Forum has embarked on is an application to the Sports Governing body – British Rowing – to participate in their new flagship "Explore Rowing" programme which aims to provide a Flexible, fun, and more varied rowing programmes for adult rowers. This new initiative is part of Rowing’s Strategic Plan 2009–13 and is about enabling clubs to attract more rowers and helping them with the support and resources they need to keep both new and existing rowers in the sport. The three Island rowing Clubs first had to gain individual accreditation as BR Explore Rowing Clubs – which they all achieved last year – which allowed them to make a group application for full GB Explore Rowing "Pioneer" status – which would have been impossible as individual Clubs. Following the successful completion of the extensive application process, which was supported by the IW Council Sports Unit who helped with project advice and coordination of financial grants - and the Wessex Regional Rowing Council and their Coaching Development Officer, Rachael Wooldridge the IW Rowing Forum has secured one of only fifty packages made available nationwide by British Rowing. This will allow then to purchase a range of new and specially designed boats, perfect for beginners and experienced rowers alike, to be owned jointly by the three clubs. As part of the package British Rowing will help the Clubs with the delivery of a new learn to row scheme as well as a variety of new activities which will range from social rowing events to personal challenges. Volunteers are key to the success of the project and the programme will be encouraging new participants to become volunteers from day one whether it’s giving up a couple of hours to help run the bar or helping to organise a competition amongst local clubs.

It is hoped that the new boats - a coxed Coastal Quad, two Coastal Doubles and four Coastal Single Sculls – along with adaptive equipment – will be delivered by the end of April – with a launching ceremony and project launch planned for May or June.

Five junior members of Ryde Rowing Club have recently completed a British Rowing Junior Rowing Leaders Course – a Sports Leaders UK nationally recognized leadership qualification. The course was delivered locally over several weeks by the Clubs Henley Stewards Charitable Trust Coach – Toni Edwards. To complete the course the candidates had to show that they were capable of coordinating and supporting Indoor and Outdoor Rowing sessions and events, with adult supervision and involved working with other young people. The course covered – the introduction to the sport of indoor rowing, being safe, basic risk assessment, assessing abilities on an indoor rower and organizing an indoor session

The successful Ryde candidates were – Bryony Reeve, Dale Buckett, Sam Corney, Andreas Hicks and Max Reeve.

PHOENIX OUTERWEAR.

24/7 Jacket [formerly Reflex Jacket/Fluid Jacket] = performance-orientated 'hardshell' shape, designed for in-boat use, yet suitable for cross-training [ie. cycling, running]. Engineered to protect the upper body from the elements [wind > rain > cold] without overheating. Uses the latest generation of technical stretch fabrics to allow unrestricted movement.  Price: £70.

Cold Days Gilet [formerly the Elite Body] = thermalweight sleeveless gilet designed for those 'cold days'. Microfleece front, microfibre back with microfleece lining for added warmth. Price: £48.

Dark Mornings Shirt [formerly the Elite Shirt/Fleece] = brand new semi-fitted microfleece top with neck zip and Meryl contrast binding / underarm panels. You wake up, it's a dark winter morning, and you've got to get up and head to the boathouse....  Price: £44.

All SEVERN Skinwear garments are manufactured from an enhanced version of performance Meryl knitted specifically for Stitch by a UK mill. Importantly, the quality of all the below is the same, it's just the 'style' of the kit that changes [ie. the more complex designs, involving more manufacturing time, are more expensive!].  

Alpha Suit (All in one)  'Unisuit'   Price: £42.

A set of 3 pogies means you can row either side or scull! The set has a bow side hand, a stroke side hand and the inner hand (double-sided).

We have a limited amount of all of the above!

Please contact Steve Bull: 01983 566481, text on 07786 034941 or email stephencbull@googlemail.com

We also still have very limited stocks of the old design – which are slightly cheaper.

NO CREDIT. Cash or cheques to be made out to "Ryde Rowing Club"

The Club has recently completed a refurbishment of the Men’s Shower area – and over the next year have plans to tackle the tiles on the main balcony and refurbish the back bar.

This year the Vectis Fishing and Boating Club, who used to share a Clubhouse with us on the pier, celebrate their 150^th anniversary. The Club has been helping them with their research for a history of their Club and has given them access to our extensive archives that date back to the foundation of the Ryde Rowing Club. Their research has produced some information of interest to our Club – including proof that a Rowing Club existed in Ryde before the foundation of our Club in 1877. It is clear that a Ryde Working Men’s Rowing Club was founded in 1861. It would appear that the Club split in 1877 – into Ryde Rowing Club and Ryde Working Men’s Club – which eventually became the Vectis Fishing and Boating Club Presumably the split was bought about by the divergence of "rowing" and "fishing"?

It is clear that the two cubs shared a boathouse on the pier from at least 1887 as on 30^th June that year the Ryde Working Men’s Club subscribed £75 to Ryde Rowing Club being the amount agreed towards expenses of boathouse and slipway on Pier. Thereafter they paid £7-10-0 per'1/2 year for rent.

So while we have long believed that Ryde Rowing Club are the " youngest" of the three existing IW Clubs (Newport, 1865 and Shanklin Sandown, 1871) it is likely that Ryde in fact are arguably the oldest Club – having emerged from the Ryde Working Men’s Rowing Club founded in 1861!

Ryde Harriers, who use the Club facilities on a Tuesday evening, staged their Annual 10 mile run on Sunday, 6th February starting and finishing at the Clubhouse - with over 350 runners competing.

Over the past few months the Clubs General Committee has been discussing the thorny and re-occurring issue of staffing the Club Bar – especially at functions.

You may or may not be aware that while the Club is in a reasonable financial position and has been able to maintain and continue to improve the Clubs equipment and facilities for both active and social members without having to increase annual subscriptions since 2004 the our income is heavily dependent on the hire of the Clubhouse for functions – which brings in a hire fee and income over the Bar. The bulk of the income over the bar comes from these functions, where we average around two a month – however finding enough volunteers to man the bar at these functions is becoming an issue and we are heavily dependent on around half a dozen members who currently cover this while also undertaking other volunteer jobs at the Club.

So if any members could find the time to do an occasional bar duty then this would help the Club considerably. A few members agreeing to help at just a couple of function a year would make all the difference. If we are unable to find additional help there will be an impact on subscriptions and funding of facilities and equipment and the level of the Clubs subsidy of its rowing activities.

Other Clubs have schemes where it is a condition of membership that they carry out a specific number of bar duties at functions or receive a small payment or a reduction in subscriptions and these ideas are under consideration and your views of them would be most welcome – or any other ideas you may have. But the simplest solution remains just to secure a few extra volunteers.

If you can help, then please contact Josie Bull on 01983 566481

There are still a few numbers available for just £12 per year. That’s only 25 pence a week and every month you will have two chances of winning plus again at Christmas. Proceeds have been used to sponsor rowers, assist with boat expenses, equipment and general refurbishments in the Club. Fish & Chip suppers with varied and interesting guest speakers are held at The Clubhouse throughout the winter.

For membership details please contact Ian Lennie on 01983 612877

Just a quick reminder to everyone – if you have an email address then please email myself at carolehewison@btinternet.com or Steve Bull at stephencbull@googlemail.com . We spend lots of money every year on printing and postage costs and we are attempting to shrink this amount as much as possible. Thank you in advance for your help and don’t forget to email us to receive the next newsletter by email!

Prepared by Steve and Anna on behalf of

Carole

Carole Hewison Telephone 01983 614385

61 St. Johns Road Email carolehewison@btinternet.com

Ryde

Isle of Wight

PO33 2RW