The Sharks aim is to teach more people than ever this year.

That is our objective. Over the past few years we have built up some great partnerships and had some very successful sessions; the biggest ones being: Osterley Park; Hillingdon Leisure centre and Havelock Estate. We now have good links with a number of schools and several Scout troops.

Last year we had contact with about 500 people; in 2016 we need to turn more of them into regular paddlers (many of them already are) and at the same time reach as many, if not more people.

We provide ll the equipment needed for lessons, if you would like further information please phone Neal on 07951 770241, or email: canoeing@thesharks.org.uk

Osterley Park

We will continue our regular Sunday sessions, for people to casually turn up and try canoeing/kayaking on a Sunday afternoon between 12 noon and 4pm; the sessions will commence in April and run through till the end of October. We will also introduce Saturday sessions increasing the opportunities for people t try paddlesport.

Additionally this we want to provide regular training sessions for paddlers who wish to take up competitive canoeing, or just want to use paddling as a fun way to keep fit. In order to do this we will host regular training sessions at the weekend and one evening during the week.

We are also planning to hold at least two competitive events at this location in 2016.

Sessions and competitions at Osterley park are run in partnership with the National Trust, Joining the National Trust will enable you free access to all their properties as well as free parking at Osterley Park (and all other properties NT properties).

Hillingdon Leisure Centre

We are investigating the use of the indoor pool at Hillingdon leisure centre during the Winter months. We will use the indoor pool to introduce new people to paddling; to teach basic safety and capsize drills and rolling.

We will return to using the outdoor pool as soon as possible (we currently are unable to use the pool as the floodlights are not working). We will use this fantastic 50m facility for teaching basics, for playing Canoe Polo and for some flat water slalom work.

During 2016, we are hoping to organise a flat water, entry level slalom at Uxbridge Pool as well as playing some Polo tournaments.

Session at Hillingdon Leisure Centre are in partnership with Hillingdon Council and Fusion Leisure.

Southall

We will use both Southall Activity Centre (SAC) as our main base, where we will teach and hold training sessions. We will also run sessions for Scouts, Schools and other clubs and organisations at this site as we did in 2015. If you are a group that would like further information please email: canoeing@thesharks.org.uk.

As well as holding regular sessions at SAC all year round we will also host sessions at Havelock Road during the Summer months from 5pm – 7pm.

Our use of the Southall Activity Centre is in partnership with the Greenford and District Scouts.

Hayes

In the past two years The Sharks have worked with the Hayes Canal Partnership to deliver a come and try it session during the Canal Festival Day, This has proved very popular an proves the demand for  satellite of the Club based in Hayes. The Club has been working with a number of organisations to provide a facility here. we will continue this work and are confident we will be able to offer something there this year. We will host lessons and training sessions if we are successful. Details will follow when we have made the necessary arrangements.

Harefield

The slalom gates have now been restored to Harefield and we will start using the location for both teaching and training; we will announce details of session times in due course. Our annual division 3 and 4 slalom will also return to this site after a year’s absence at Shepperton due to the building works that have made the site unavailable.