Timetable & FAQ
FAQ LIST
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Are you open to members with disabilities?
Absolutely! Please get in touch if you think you might need a bit more support to get on the water. We are fundraising to make our club more accessible for everyone.
How does Membership work?
Membership is £25 for the year beginning March to end February, no matter when you join.
Members get access to club nights, courses, trips, sessions and social events.
What happens on open nights/afternoons?
Open to non-members, with or without experience, to come along, have a chat and try it out to see if they want to become a member. On the first Thursday of each month from May – September, 6.30 – 8.30. Bookable on Eventbrite for £10 per person. There is at least one instructor on duty on open nights to help people get kitted up and get safely on and off the water. Supervising instructors will give you tips as best they can, but there may be 10 people paddling different craft with a range of abilities so it’s just a taster. If you want to learn more, ask about courses. On open nights/afternoons, paddlers must stay within sight of the boathouse.
How do Courses for children work?
We run holiday courses and term time after school sessions.
How does Slalom and Sprint work?
These are available from age 14 including adults, a great way to take your paddling further.
What should I bring?
In general, unless stated otherwise, just bring yourself and clothes you will be comfortable getting wet in, leggings or jogging bottoms for example. You might want sun screen and something to drink depending on the conditions. You might also want a towel and change of clothes (especially if you have a bus to catch or long walk home). We have basic changing facilities and a portaloo. There are limited facilities to lock belongings away.
How do Courses for adults work?
We offer courses in canoeing, kayaking and paddleboard. We offer Discover (beginner) and Explore (for people who have done some paddling before) level in canoeing and kayaking. Other courses can be arranged depending on demand and coach availability. If there is something you want to learn and we aren’t currently offering a course for it, let us know, we only need 3 or 4 people to make a course viable. Kit hire is included in courses.
How does Club Night work?
Every Thursday, April to October, usually 6.30pm-8.30pm, the boathouse is open for members to access boats etc. There is a volunteer on duty who will be in or around the boathouse for the evening. The volunteer is not necessarily a coach, so club nights are intended for members who can get themselves safely on and off the water. That said, if they can help you out, they will.
The first and last night club night of the year are usually club socials with a BBQ, food and soft drinks are free for all members.
We need to know you can cope with capsizing in the craft you use before you paddle out of sight of the boathouse. You might be asked to demonstrate a capsize, you might get away with not demonstrating if you have done it on a course with us or you have previous experience.
Kit hire charges apply on club nights.
How does Kit Hire work?
There is a kit hire charge of £10 per use (this covers all the kit for your session).
You can take kit away from the canal, but it must be booked out on the club spreadsheet,
(https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yXME-WTXV4ZyDm5m8UGLzGbJsrFZNzw5aVgPeWFXQMA/edit?pli=1#gid=1128507220).
Use the spreadsheet to check that kit not needed for arranged sessions, such as a club trip. In summer months check with Poppy well in advance in case the kit is needed for kids’ courses.
You have the option of making a one-off payment of £70 for unlimited kit hire for the year (but you still need to check it’s not needed for an organised session). As with everything, the year is beginning March to end February.
Kit that is available for members to use is marked FCC or has an FCC sticker on it. Any other equipment should not be used (personal kit should have the owner’s name clearly marked to make this clear).
How does Volunteering work?
Forth runs on volunteer power and more volunteers are always welcome. Volunteering includes everything from work days to get the boat house in order to joining the committee. Specific opportunities will be promoted in club e-mails, on the club Facebook account and/or the noticeboard in the boathouse, but if you’re keen to get involved just let us know. Volunteers are rewarded with benefits such as reductions in costs - with greater benefits for more pledged volunteer hours.
How does Canoe Polo work?
Wednesday evenings 7pm – 8.30/9pm. The minimum requirements for polo are that you can exit the boat if you capsize and that you are 14 or over. Members are welcome to come along and try it out a few times before deciding whether they want to sign up.
How do Trips work?
We aim for roughly one club trip each month from April to October, details will be in club e-mails. This usually involves loading up kayaks and/or canoes and heading off to a river or loch for a day or weekend. There is a minimal fee for trips, plus the normal kit hire costs, and chipping in to cover the cost of fuel and maybe a BBQ if there is an overnight. The difficulty level of trips varies to try to help people progress, for example from their first time on a river to more challenging paddling. Club trips are planned and run by trained and qualified trip leaders. It helps if you have your own transport, and it's even better if you can transport a canoe/kayak - but many members will be happy to give someone a lift if they have space and we may be able to transport boats on our trailer.
Just like courses, if we know what there is demand for we can plan accordingly.
If you’re keen to do trips more independently, the more you get involved with the club (coming on trips, volunteering) the more you will meet people to go paddling with and build up skills and experience.
What and when are your Social events and Meetings?
The first and last night club nights of the year (first Thursday in April and last Thursday in October) are usually club BBQ nights. Vegetarian food and soft drink is provided free to all members. You are welcome to bring your own as well. If you want to cook meat you can either bring another BBQ or check whether anyone else is bringing one. Children are welcome at club BBQs.
Committee meetings are open to all members, as is the AGM. At the AGM we aim to get through the formalities at pace, then we give out awards for people’s achievements over the year, followed by a chance to socialise.
We have the occasional ad hoc social as well.