Canoe Wales is the national governing body for paddle sport in Wales. We:

  • Manage the National White Water Centre which is located on the river Tryweryn in Bala, North Wales
  • Represent the interests of our club and individual members
  • Advocate on behalf of the interests of the sport in Wales
  • Provide coaching and development programmes from local to international level
  • Stage national and international competitions.

Staying Current

BCU coaching qualifications do not have an expiry date, so once you have gained an award, you will never “lose” that qualification. However as an active coach, you should:
  • Hold a current first aid certificate, of a level required by your qualifications (see pre-requisites listed in the pages relating to your awards if you are unsure of the level of first aid training you require).
  • Be a comprehensive member of Canoe Wales (if you are not a member, you will not be covered by our insurance).
  • Have current and up to date knowledge on the latest best practices: in both safety and coaching elements. The way in which this is officially recognised is through a process called revalidation.
  • Hold an enhanced disclosure (e.g. CRB check) – required by all coaches by December 2010
  • Have completed appropriate Child Protection training – required by all coaches by December 2010
Should you have let you membership and update status lapse, you are able to reinstate as a coach on the following basis:

If your membership has lapsed for a period of less than 3 years:

You can reactivate your qualifications by paying the current year’s membership plus a £15.00 administration fee and by completing the coach update requirements outlined above.

If your membership has lapsed for a period of more than 3 years:

If the lapsed period exceeds 3 years, you must pay the current year’s membership fee, the £15.00 administration fee, plus a £20.00 fee to cover revalidation. Revalidation at this point will come in the form of an individual action plan devised by the National Development Officer or Coach Education Co-ordinator to get you up to speed with current best practice and the new scheme which will include a workshop or working alongside a course provider. Costs for workshops may be extra.

If you held assessor or provider statuses:

Reinstatement of whatever assessor status you held is not automatic and the action plan given will depend on the number of years that you have been inactive as a coach or how long the membership has been lapsed.

Click here to download a reinstatement form, once completed these should be returned to the Canoe Wales office or emailed to the National Development Officer or Coach Education Co-ordinator.