Stratford Boat Club starts ambitious project to make its site accessible to all
STRATFORD Boat Club is embarking on a project to make its site more user friendly for people with disabilities.
The club, which is based on the Rec by the Tramway bridge, already has the largest adaptive rowing section of its kind in the UK. However, it admits that its facilities for adaptive athletes around the club are poor and require significant investment.
Costly items such as a stable, floating landing stage pontoon that is wheelchair friendly and a lift to the club’s upstairs training rooms are needed.
The work will also require financial support from government and other authorities, but the project first needs funding for design, planning permissions and to be fully costed.
This is where the Rotary Club of Stratford has stepped in with a donation to help fund the first crucial steps.
Mark Dewdney, the club’s head adaptive coach, said: “The Stratford Boat Club believes in delivering the best access possible to its disabled members and this scheme will be a major step forward.
“Stratford Rotary Club has shown faith in our vision and we thank them for this, it has given us all a real boost."
Paul Stanton, club president, added: “In this, our 150th year of the boat club’s formation, the pontoon landing stage and access project will be a lasting legacy for adaptive sport in the area, region and nationally and Stratford Rotary Club’s priming donation has set the early plans going but we need substantial support from local, regional and national companies and organisations to achieve this ambitious goal.”
