Maesteg Canoe Club wins Gold

On the 12th July 2018, Maesteg Canoe Club was officially awarded the insport Gold award at a formal presentation at Bridgend Council.The club are the first canoe club in Wales, and first club in Bridgend to achieve the insport Club Gold standard from Disability Sport Wales.

Maesteg Canoe Club offers the chance for children and adults of all ages to learn to Kayak and Canoe in a safe and friendly environment. Maesteg Canoe Club is an inclusive canoeing club offering both outdoor and pool-based sessions for adults and children within an inclusive environment. The club are a very well established and reputable community-based club, delivering sessions for over 25 years. They have developed strong links with the local authority within a variety of initiatives and programmes, with disability and inclusion being a core focus. The club pride themselves on their inclusive family ethos, demonstrated within their progress towards the insport Club standards since 2014.

Emily Evans Chairperson of Maesteg Canoe Club said "The committee were thrilled to be announced as the first water based outdoor club to receive Insport Gold, we want to give thanks to the members of our club and their families for supporting us each week. Maesteg Canoe Club is firmly on the map."

The insport Club programme is part of the broader insport project, which aims to support the physical activity, sport, and leisure sectors delivering inclusively of disabled people. As with the other insport programmes, when the club get involved with insport Club they will be assigned a Case Officer, who will support them through the journey. The programme consists of 4 incremental standards (Ribbon, Bronze, Silver and Gold), against which a series of aims have been identified. At Gold standard only, a group of representatives of the club will be invited in to present their journey so far to an independent panel (which will include DSW, Sport Wales and other individuals involved with sport). The club demonstrate the support for each aim by uploading relevant documents and information to a bespoke portal, and the content of the presentation then serves to illustrate the extent to which philosophies of inclusion have been embedded throughout the organisation, the difference that working towards inclusion has made to them, and to let those involved with sport nationally know what great ideas and practices they have around inclusion.

Michelle Daltry Partnership Manager for DSW said “Congratulations to Maesteg Canoe Club on becoming the first club in Bridgend, and first canoe club in Wales, to achieve insport Club Gold.  This mark is a recognition of the huge impact that the club make not only on the lives of disabled people through sport, but also to the wider community in Bridgend. Disability Sport Wales would like to thank you for your continued motivation and enthusiasm to ensure that the club grows and develops in a truly inclusive manner”.

Councillor Dhanisha Patel, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Future Generations, “I’d like to offer huge congratulations to Maesteg Canoe Club. This award recognises the motivation, commitment and enthusiasm of the club and its members towards changing the lives of disabled people through the power of sport. “Maesteg Canoe Club prides itself on an inclusive family ethos, and this has been demonstrated within every aspect of their delivery and representation. “They have exceeded the insport standards and have set an outstanding example for inclusive sport within Bridgend County Borough.” Andrew Thomas, Group Manager for Sports and Physical Activity, added: “This fantastic achievement is made all the more impressive when you consider that there have only been nine gold awards presented in Wales, and Maesteg is the first canoeing club to receive one.”

Gayle Penn, Canoe Wales Regional Development Officer said “It was fantastic to listen to Emily and Dan share the journey that Maesteg Canoe Club have been on since they were established.  The range of adapted activities they provide means they truly cater for everyone and shows what is possible if a club has the drive and desire to be inclusive.  The Gold insport standard is richly deserved and all the participants and volunteers should be proud of what they’ve achieved. Congratulations and a huge thanks to all involved.”

The club have an up to date Facebook page and the club website is easy to use, holds all essential information, and has clear pathways to follow for further information if required. They meet from 7pm every Wednesday at Maesteg Swimming Pool where anyone over the age of 6 can join in. The coaches can cater the session for the individual needs of the participants, so whether you are new to the sport or an experienced paddler, need one to one support or specialist equipment this is all provided. For further information visit the club website, www.maestegcanoeclub.org