Making Waves with Children In Need

18th November 2021

During the October half term, the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre were proud to host a week of activities for the Making Waves Plymouth project funded by Children in Need.

Local young people from PL1, PL2 and PL4 communities enjoyed a wide range of on, and off, water activities including kayaking, bell boating, giant SUP fun, archery, orienteering, sailing, as well as yoga and mindfulness sessions provided by local yoga instructor Haidee from Yoga with Haidee, all made possible with funding from Children in Need and coordinated through the Making Waves Plymouth project.

Throughout the week, some participants also had the opportunity to take their first qualification in dinghy sailing with the Royal Yachting Association as part of the RYA’s Tackling Inequalities project and twenty four participants were taught the RNLI’s ‘Float to Live’ techniques.

The Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre work closely with Making Waves Plymouth to host and deliver on and off water activities for local young people through specific funding opportunities.

Sam Waites, Watersports and Activities Manager at the Centre said:

“We’ve been working with the Making Waves project for a few years now which has enabled us to reach more young people within our communities. For some, their first visit to the Centre may also be their first experience of getting out on the water and we are privileged to watch them gain confidence, try something new and make lasting memories here in Britain’s Ocean City.”

Tors Froud, Project Coordinator for Making Waves Plymouth said:

“I am so incredibly humbled to work with such amazing young people and their families. I’ve seen a Dad learn to swim just so he can enjoy kayaking with his daughter; I've witnessed first hand the generosity of the local community policing team who have participated (and got soaked!) as part of the activities provided and I’ve seen the difference that funded opportunities like these make to young people’s lives.

We wouldn’t have been able to achieve our half term week of activities without Children in Need funding. Thank you Children in Need.

We continue to apply for relevant grants and funding and look forward to providing many more opportunities over the months and years to come. All those that want to enjoy the water and do so safely with guidance and knowledge should be able to do so.”

As the vision for Plymouth Sound to become the UK’s first National Marine Park continues to be developed, the Mount Batten peninsula and the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre have been identified as one of five gateways to the Park for active recreation.