Canoe club in Liverpool hosts mayor to celebrate national awards win
11 July 2023
The Friends of Allonby Canoe Club in Liverpool is celebrating after being recognised nationally for its contribution to sport in the community.
The Friends of Allonby Canoe Club in Liverpool is celebrating after being recognised nationally for its contribution to sport in the community.
Mayor for Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram joined coaches and some of the club’s young kayakers to receive their awards from the CEO of British Canoeing.
Based at Collingwood Dock, next to Everton FC’s new stadium, the club’s facilities have been refurbished by local young people as part of a project run by social enterprise Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) in partnership with housebuilder Persimmon.
The initiative sees 22 local young people not in mainstream education or employment learn new skills under the guidance of VIY and Persimmon tradespeople and gain entry-level City & Guilds qualifications.
During his visit, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram, himself a construction worker by trade, welcomed the impressive waterfront transformation while joining club coaches to receive three awards from British Canoeing.
The Collingwood Dock-based club was also presented with a ‘#ShePaddles – Champion Club’ plaque as a reflection of the outstanding work they have been doing to improve women and girls’ participation at their club.
Coach Colin Fletcher was also presented with the Outstanding Achievement award for his longstanding commitment as a volunteer coach over the past 35 years.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said “During my time as an apprentice bricklayer, I learned transferable skills that I’ve carried with me throughout my career. That’s why it’s so wonderful to see our voluntary and private sector working together to create fresh opportunities for our young people, giving them the chance to learn a new skill or trade and build their confidence.”
Karl Wiseman, Deputy Regional Chairman Persimmon, said: “As an official partner of Team GB, we’re proud to support investment into sporting opportunities for local people.
“Persimmon is committed to making a lasting difference in the communities it operates in, and our collaboration with VIY exemplifies this dedication.
“We’d like to congratulate Friends of Allonby on their awards and for their outstanding contribution to sport in the community.”
Ashley Metcalfe, CEO of British Canoeing, said: “The Club is a strong example of good practice when it comes to providing an inclusive club space on and off the water, and this is evidenced by the number of women involved at committee and coaching/leadership level within the club. We look forward to continuing to support the club in their work in this area.”
Tim Reading, CEO and Co-Founder of VIY, commented: “The cross-sector collaboration between Persimmon, British Canoeing and ourselves is the perfect example of community regeneration coming to life.”
Keith Meadows, Chairman of Friends of Allonby Canoe Club, said: “Thank you to VIY and Persimmon for the hard work they’ve done for the club with the young people. The benches and access steps have been a great benefit to the club and give safe access to the water.”
