On the day that Britain secured three Olympic rowing medals in an hour at Paris 2024, the story of elite and grassroots National Lottery funding into the sport was showcased at Fulham Reach Boat Club which is hoping to help produce the next generation of champions whilst carrying out crucial work to make the sport accessible to all.
Based by Hammersmith Bridge in London, they hosted one of many free water sports camps over the summer holidays to get those from non-traditional rowing backgrounds on the water.
Fulham Reach Boat Club has taught 1,500 young people to row this year and open up their programmes to those on free school meals and pupil premium by linking up with local secondary schools.
Olympic rowing titans Sir Steve Redgrave and Vicky Thornley were in attendance as Team GB romped to a silver and two bronzes in Paris.
Redgrave said: “Fulham Reach is a community-based project with secondary schools within the area where premium students get to try the sport for free as part of their curriculum programme.
“When we get to school holidays like we are in now, the enthusiasm and the passion is there.
“Rowing gives you a little bit of discipline with a lot of fun and gives you that direction, it gives you something to do and puts smiles on people’s faces.
“Every athlete you talk to from any sport, there are back stories behind why they got involved and how they got involved.
“That includes a whole host of teenagers and volunteers in grassroots and that’s why The National Lottery is so important to their preparation and backroom support.”
Through a range of activities centred around increasing access to rowing for a cross-section of the community, Fulham Reach strives to help people realise their full potential both on and off the water.
Thornley said: “Places like Fulham Reach are so instrumental in reaching people who have never found the sport of rowing and to have the opportunity to try it out.
“Fulham Reach has been going 10 years now so it’s a brilliant place to be and talk about the Olympics and the impact The National Lottery has on places like this.”
National Lottery funding supports elite sport – helping athletes to be the best they can be, through training camps, world-class facilities, physio, nutrition, sports psychology etc – and the grassroots to support local community sports clubs all over the UK.
More than £30 million is raised every week for good causes, including sport, through people playing The National Lottery and Fulham Reach is just one of the clubs benefitting from vital funding.
Adam Freeman-Pask, Fulham Reach CEO, said: “The National Lottery funding we’ve received has been critical to the growth of the size it is.
“We’re running free water sports camps over the holidays and then we have a junior squad which also has free bursary places on it.
“There are lots of great ways to get people in and we’re really reducing the barriers to participate.
There is going to be a legacy of this Olympic Games and the success of the team is really inspiring.
“Their stories are really captivating and it’s the job of a charity like us to help share it with people and get them to enjoy the sports.”
Thanks to National Lottery players our Olympic athletes are supported to live their dreams and make the nation proud. With more than £30M a week raised for Good Causes, The National Lottery has enabled Great Britain to become a global force in Rowing and has provided more opportunities for people inspired by our athletes to take part in the sport. For details visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here