The rowing project came to an end in July 2021, after 5 years of very successfully changing participants lives.
The boat has been donated to British Rowing’s Jo Atkinson, who is going to use it for a home school project. This will introduce young people, who don’t have an opportunity to get involved with physical activity through school, to learn to row on the River Severn based at the Saddlers Rowing Club, Bridgnorth.
Access in Dudley (A.I.D.) works in partnership with Dudley Rowing Club (DRC) based at Netherton Reservoir to provide rowing sessions for groups of disabled people; either physical, sensory or those living with a mental health issue.
The project is funded by grants from various providers including The Sobell Foundation, Making It Happen, The National Lottery and Sports England, who also funded the purchase of the A.I.D. stable quad boat which makes the project possible.
Groups are invited to come down to DRC to try rowing for a selected number of weeks, long enough for them to learn how to sweep row in our boat under coaching from DRC.
There is also an opportunity for the group to continue rowing either in the stable quad or as individuals with Dudley Rowing Club once their paid sessions are complete. Several groups have taken up this opportunity.
The current funding has been provided by the Innovation Fund from Dudley MBC.
As part of the feedback to this funding, A.I.D. has to provide evidence in the form of videos, improved indoor rowing times and a feedback sheet in the form of a 'graphic facilitation' poster, where participants write their comments or say how the sessions make them feel.
The project was suspended when the 'rowing club' lost its rowing coach. However, after the lockdown due to Coronavirus, rowing re-started on September 24th 2020 and got off to a fabulous start with a new coach, Melissa.
Social distancing is in place alongside any rules laid down by British Rowing, DMBC Public Health and the club's own rules play a very important role, but new groups are signed up to row within the project and more are coming onboard early next year.
Dudley Rowing Club has merged with Dudley Sailing Club and hopes to engage with the project, making it possible for people to sail alongside rowing.
Any group who would like to engage with the project, can contact us to register their interest.
Halas Homes
Headway
Trident Reach
Nova Training
Police Project 2019
Outstanding Service Award This is a group of young people who were partaking in a police organised set of events and chose to join AID Rowing Project one day a week for 6 weeks.
These events were to give young people a chance to work together, to grow in confidence and self-awareness.
Outstanding Service Award This is a group of young people who were partaking in a police organised set of events and chose to join AID Rowing Project one day a week for 6 weeks.
These events were to give young people a chance to work together, to grow in confidence and self-awareness.
New Path of Life is an organisation helping to house and feed homeless people. These people could be homeless for any number of reasons, divorce, house repossession, drinking and drugs and, in some cases, after abusive relationships or a fall out with family.
Ross and her team of volunteers will help clients navigate the rocky road of benefits, children’s and social service, support court applications and appearances whilst getting the individuals back into homes, jobs and whatever else is needed to live a fulfilling life.
The rowing project has helped with getting people back into circulation with others and helped in many cases with mental health issues. The group have thoroughly engaged with the programme and have told us that the benefits of being on the water, working as a team and enjoying the whole experience has given them a break from the stresses of their everyday problems and added a bit of fun to the week.
Gordon Moody is a rehabilitation unit for gamblers. The group that attended enjoyed themselves and competed against each other on their visits to the project. Due to the sensitivity of the work Gordon Moody do we were unable to take photos of the participants but have recorded their thoughts on a feedback sheet.
Headway has engaged with the project on 2 occasions, pre-pandemic and September 2020. Several members of Headway across both time-frames have again had wonderful experiences with the project, helping to get over head injuries of various types.
Nicola, the leading OT for Headway, expressed her delight in being able to bring a second group to reap the benefits of the project, stating that fears and phobias had been eased as well as encouraging independence and self-confidence in individuals
John Watson, 65+ is visually impaired and living in a supported housing project for people with learning disabilities but doesn’t let that stop him from taking part in all sorts including being part of the Access In Dudley rowing team shown here in this film.
The film was part of a series commissioned by Dr. Peter Taylor ‘Ageing Well with a Learning Disability’ and was filmed on a beautiful day at Netherton Water Sports Centre where the rowing club made us all very welcome. stating that fears and phobias had been eased as well as encouraging independence and self-confidence in individuals
Here’s the link to the Ageing Well with Learning Disabilities film that you and other rowing folk were part of: Click here to watch on Vimeo.com
This is a group of young people who were partaking in a police organised set of events and chose to join AID Rowing Project one day a week for 6 weeks.
These events were to give young people a chance to work together, to grow in confidence and self-awareness.
New Path of Life is an organisation helping to house and feed homeless people. These people could be homeless for any number of reasons, divorce, house repossession, drinking and drugs and, in some cases, after abusive relationships or a fall out with family.
Ross and her team of volunteers will help clients navigate the rocky road of benefits, children’s and social service, support court applications and appearances whilst getting the individuals back into homes, jobs and whatever else is needed to live a fulfilling life.
The rowing project has helped with getting people back into circulation with others and helped in many cases with mental health issues. The group have thoroughly engaged with the programme and have told us that the benefits of being on the water, working as a team and enjoying the whole experience has given them a break from the stresses of their everyday problems and added a bit of fun to the week.
Gordon Moody is a rehabilitation unit for gamblers. The group that attended enjoyed themselves and competed against each other on their visits to the project. Due to the sensitivity of the work Gordon Moody do we were unable to take photos of the participants but have recorded their thoughts on a feedback sheet.
Headway has engaged with the project on 2 occasions, pre-pandemic and September 2020. Several members of Headway across both time-frames have again had wonderful experiences with the project, helping to get over head injuries of various types.
Nicola, the leading OT for Headway, expressed her delight in being able to bring a second group to reap the benefits of the project, stating that fears and phobias had been eased as well as encouraging independence and self-confidence in individuals
John Watson, 65+ is visually impaired and living in a supported housing project for people with learning disabilities but doesn’t let that stop him from taking part in all sorts including being part of the Access In Dudley rowing team shown here in this film.
The film was part of a series commissioned by Dr. Peter Taylor ‘Ageing Well with a Learning Disability’ and was filmed on a beautiful day at Netherton Water Sports Centre where the rowing club made us all very welcome. stating that fears and phobias had been eased as well as encouraging independence and self-confidence in individuals
Here’s the link to the Ageing Well with Learning Disabilities film that you and other rowing folk were part of: Click here to watch on Vimeo.com