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Whitchurch Art Cafe fundraising event

GGBC are fundraising at the Art Cafe on Saturday 6th June from 10am to 12.30pm. Coffee, tea and cakes will be served by boat club members to all who are able to visit.

We hope to have a plant stall outside the cafe.

The Art Cafe is opposite the Ferryboat pub in Whitchurch. There is a small car park outside or park along the road nearby or just across the river in Pangbourne at the Dolphin Adventure Centre RG8 7DA or at the Pangbourne Working Men’s Club RG8 7BS.

All profit will go to the boathouse fund.

We look forward to seeing you next Saturday!

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Club newsletter May 2018

Boathouse


Up until last week the contractor had only been able to make limited progress due to the flooding and poor weather earlier in the year. The site became water logged and unfortunately this severely affected the contractor as he needs to use heavy plant. However work has now recommenced and the cladding to both sides has now been completed and good progress has been made to the front. The completion of the filling inside the building and backfilling to the rear and sides of the building can now be progressed. We have mid-June 2018 as the anticipated completion date for the Scorpion contracted works all being well. After this date GGBC working parties will take over!
Working parties are being organised to make a start on all the tasks we need to undertake prior to our move to the new site. If you can spare a few hours to help out on a Saturday afternoon or Wednesday evening we would be very grateful. Contact Brian Barnes if you are interested.

Welcome back to rowing weekend

We hope that those of you who turned up to one or other (or even both!) sessions enjoyed getting back on the water after a long winter. If you weren’t able to join us for this event and you haven’t rowed for a while then do come along to any club session:

  • Saturdays 9 – 11am
  • Sundays 10 – 12
  • Thursdays from 6pm

Just let the session manager know that you haven’t rowed for a while and they will try and put you in a suitable boat with other rowers.
Or if you are feeling particularly rusty and would like to join other beginner / less experienced rowers do join one of the Go Row days held on the first Sunday of each month, the next one is Sunday 3rd June 10am until 12.

Whitchurch Art Café Saturday 9th June 10.00 – 12.30

The Old Stables, Whitchurch on Thames, RG8 7DF (opposite The Ferryboat)
A fundraising event for GGBC. Volunteers needed to serve tea/coffee and to bake cakes. Please contact Ros on ros.crowder@btinternet.com or 07981 516009 if you can help.
Do spread the word and encourage your family/friends/neighbours etc to come along and support this fundraising initiative. And if you are rowing on this Saturday morning you can come along after the session for coffee and cake!

Not the Regatta 14th July

Why not enter a crew in this fun event taking place at the Hardwick site? Contact captainofrowing@goringgapbc.org.uk if you are interested.

Summer family rowing/water activities camp

A camp will be held during the weekend of 1st and 2nd September at the Hardwick site just along the river from our current site. Further details are in the attached flyer and if you are interested in participating do let me know. Come along as an individual or bring your family /friends.
ros.crowder@btinternet.com or 07981 516009. More details.

GGBC Quiz

Copies of the GGBC Quiz can be printed and completed and will also be available in the session managers box. Please take one and try your luck to support the new boathouse. And you might win the prize!
Thanks to Deborah for organising this activity.

Fundraising

If any club member is interested in organising or helping with a fundraising activity please get in touch with any suggestions. We are also looking for volunteers willing to help with the completion of grant applications to raise funds for the boathouse. Please contact ros.crowder@btinternet.com or 07981 516009.

Community engagement

We are keen to raise the profile of GGBC in the local area and enable the local population to get involved in the club’s activities. If you are interested in joining the committee to take on this role, might like to know more or would be willing to be part of a small group taking this forwards do talk to Lorraine or Ros or email chairman@goringgapbc.org.uk.

Midweek rowing

The Wednesday morning sessions have now started and it’s lovely out on the river at a peaceful time of the week. If you would like to join please contact Ros or just turn up from 9.15am any Wednesday.

Advance notice – Long Row 22 September

In September we are aiming to offer the opportunity to join a longer than usual row along the Thames to explore the stretch of river beyond our usual reach. If you are interested do talk to Alison Proctor at a club session. Further details will be circulated soon.

Lost watch

A watch was lost on the site or track leading to the site earlier this week. If anyone has any information please get in touch.

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Hedley West

I sadly have to report the news that my good friend Hedley West passed away last week after a long illness, he was 74 years old.

Hedley was a founder member of the GGBC and never actually rowed for the club, although his son Peter did for many years. Hedley was a major player in setting up our first regatta and was an absolute stalwart working on all our regattas right through to the time when he became ill. To quote Brian Barnes on hearing of his death “That is very sad, he taught me all that I know about Regattas when I was his helper!”. A great man who will be sorely missed.

John Wills

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Boathouse Progress

Due to the recent wet weather, progress on site has been rather limited, however the steel frame is now complete, the roof is on and the wooden cladding is being put in position. We hope that the heatwave will dry up the site and work can continue over the next few weeks and will hopefully be completed during May.

During the last few months the boathouse commissioning group and the various work package leaders have been busy making plans and costing materials so that once the contractors have left site our volunteer labour force can move on to the site and start work. If you haven’t currently been involved in this work but would like to offer to help, or know of others who might be interested (we are open to offers of help from anyone not just club members), please get in touch with Brian Barnes.