Mixed Ability Rowing at Ross Rowing Clu
Photo Joleen Cronin
Why rowing?
Health inequalities related to disabilities remain stark . Removing barriers to physical activity has obvious physical and mental health improvements for those individuals involved but there are broader benefits offered by MIXED ability (rather than disability) sport.
Rowing has a strong club culture where members support each other and regularly connect off the water, reducing loneliness, improving self-esteem and a sense of belonging. Beyond providing regular healthy exercise, rowing on the River Wye in our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, improves mindfulness and mental health, while interacting with crew mates provides lasting social bonds.
The Wye is a natural watercourse which rises and falls. This means boats are carried up and down a set of steps. Providing Adaptive (Disability) Rowing raises concerns about people getting up and down these steps. These concerns focus on mobility impaired people, whereas in reality, there is a broad spectrum of (dis)abilities that can be accommodated.
Club members include those with:
• Cerebral Palsy
• Hearing impairment
• Visual impairment
• Diabetes
• Chronic musculoskeletal problems
• Immunological disorders
• Cancer
• Depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder
So too we have club members dealing with other inequalities:
• Economic hardship
• Bereavement and isolation
• Minority ethnicity
We could easily welcome new people as rowers, or non-rowing support crew (eg. driving launches, in the bar or the boathouse). For instance, those living with other challenges such as:
• Learning disabilities
• Being Carers
• Refugees – there are many Ukrainians housed locally including with Club members
Mixed Ability Rowing at Ross-on-Wye
The principle is to MIX people who wish to row socially, twice a week as a physical session, and once a week for a social. People with and without disabilities, beginners and old hands.
This is not hard competitive training, although people that wish to extend themselves physically can do so in other sessions. This is about having fun, making friends, enjoying supporting others and feeling welcome in a club and sport that you might not have considered before, in order to improve physical and mental health.
The standard of rowing is less important than the level of satisfaction and health gains.
Project Proposal
The proposal is to have Mixed Ability daytime sessions on:
• Wednesday afternoons
• Sunday mornings
• Friday evening socials in the clubhouse
In the case of poor outdoor conditions, Mixed Ability team games in the club house.
To start, grow and maintain this project will require a dedicated coordinator and coach, either one person or two. Initial phases will be:
• publicising the programme
• engaging with the media
• interaction with relevant disability and community groups
• arranging taster sessions
• Level 2 rowing coaching (including child and vulnerable adult protection training)
• Planning a graduated expansion of provision as a self-sustaining programme beyond the start-up period.
Goals
1. Attract 30 new adults with disabilities to row in Mixed Ability Sessions by the end of 12 months
2. Attract 20 new adults without disabilities to row in Mixed Ability Sessions or volunteer to support in other ways by the end of 12 months
3. Provide an improved rowing experience for 10 existing non-competitive club rowers by integrating into the Mixed Ability Sessions
Benefits to Ross Rowing Club
The club will be more welcoming to non-traditional audiences, and visibly so, breaking down community preconceptions and barriers to other people feeling welcome.
The families, friends and carers of new mixed ability members may be interested in helping with support functions or rowing themselves. Building membership will increase capacity across the club and ease the volunteer burden that rests on a relatively small number of club members.
There is no need for special equipment for this cohort, existing non-competitive boats and gym and bar facilities are sufficient.
Issues
Economic access may be challenging as people with disabilities are twice as likely to be unemployed . Those in employment earn less than able bodied employees . Part of the project design and budget will be to level this inequality and find ways to support club membership for those suffering economic hardship.
Sustainability
The project is self-sustaining after the initial intervention of start-up funding if the planned membership income to expenditure is met, and the balance of those able to pay vs those in hardship is accurate. This does not account for increased club budgets for equipment wear and tear, which may need to be supported by additional fundraising from Year 2 onwards.
Budget
See attached project proposal for budget
Mixed Ability Rowing at Ross Rowing Club
