Alpkit Foundation are delighted to award a grant toWildside Activity Centre to helprun a 6 week canoe club for young people aged 12 – 17 for fun and to get a qualification.
Battling against funding cutsWildside Activity Centre is a small charity providing environmental education and outdoor adventurous activities. Wanting to encourage more young people into canoeing for fun and exercise and to help them gain skills and self-esteem, they do not currently have the funding to extend this beyond simply tasters.
"We have over 20 volunteers but need to pay qualified staff for water sports. We will offer a six-week canoe club for 2 hours a week for 10 to 12 participants to work for the Paddle Power qualification, if they wish to do so. This is equivalent to a Two Star level and is the first rung on the ladder of becoming a qualified BCU Canoeing Coach. We are able to include young people with disabilities.
Wolverhampton is in the 6% of most deprived local authorities in England and many young people have very little access to sport or the outdoors. The support will help with the costs of instructors so the charges for participants can be kept to a minimum.