Bramston is a small, friendly, over 18s, members only canoe club based in Witham, Essex.
We are a very active club and our members paddle all year round in a wide range of canoeing and kayaking activities such as white water, open boating, sea kayaking and surf.
If you have never paddled before or just want to improve your roll, we have a safe and warm environment where you can learn and practice ready to get out into the wild.
We meet for pool sessions every Monday evening between 7:45pm and 9:15pm at Witham Leisure Centre, Spinks Lane, CM8 1EP for training and to arrange paddling trips.
Our Paddle UK qualified & registered coaches & instructors are able to help you in every aspect of canoeing & kayaking.
Although we are an over 18s club, members are welcome to bring their children to participate alongside them.
We’re always actively seeking members who are interested in paddling as a part of our club – the pool is a great additional resource where we can practice our skills, improve our paddling and also serves as a regular way of keeping in face-to-face contact but the real club activity is what we do on the water.
Whether paddling on the Blackwater Estuary or other parts of the East Coast, the Stour, Chelmer or Blackwater Rivers, or whitewater rivers further afield – it’s our goal to build a close and active club where all our members participate.
Interested in joining Bramston Canoe Club?
For those new to paddling (or a bit rusty!) we have a 5 session coached course designed to have you confident on the water and ready for a basic river trip by the end of the course. The cost of this is £75 payable in advance and we have intakes roughly every 7 weeks (This payment is non-refundable).
Alternatively if you’re not sure if you want to commit to a 5 week course then we offer the option of a ‘taster’ session. This is a one off session at £10 which may be repeated to a maximum of 5 sessions at our discretion. Our coaches can give you a few hints and tips and go through a wet exit with you. If you wish to, you can then join the next intake of our coaching course.
For beginners we very much encourage you to attend a taster session before committing to anything else, this gives you the opportunity to get a feel for the club and for us to get an idea of your paddling aspirations.
After you have completed one of the above you are welcome to apply for club membership. Of course if you are already an experienced paddler you are more than welcome to apply for club membership directly, however we may require you to attend a peer paddle where a coach is present or 5 taster sessions at the pool if we have no previous experience of paddling with you.
These measures are designed to ensure that those who wish to join the club are serious and committed about doing so and allows the club’s coaches to gauge new member’s experience and abilities – we want to maintain a club of busy and active paddlers.
Children
We understand that you might like to get your children involved and we do have a number of children who attend and paddle with their parents. The only thing we ask is that a parent is present at all times as we are unable to provide any form of supervisory function for children, therefore if your child is paddling a parent or guardian must remain throughout.
Children benefit from a 50% discount on pool fees and course fees.
Basic Membership
Basic Membership is £50.00 per year and includes access to club activities & equipment. Pool fees for basic members are an additional £7.50 per session payable on the day of the session strictly by bank transfer (cash on the night cannot be accepted).
Full Membership
Full Club Membership is £160.00 per year and includes access to club activities & equipment with no further pool fees. This is payable by quarterly standing order of £40 per quarter.
Membership Applications
All membership applications are subject to approval by the club’s committee. Payment of a membership fee and submission of an application for alone are not a guarantee of approved membership – you must be in receipt of a confirmation email from the club secretary.
Membership applications should be made by sending a completed membership form (downloadable from the website) to: secretary@bramstoncanoeclub.org
The Gallery below is just to whet your appetite!
Bramston Canoe Club is a Non-Profit Club
Bramston Canoe Club is a Club, formed of a group of like minded individuals who enjoy paddling and want to share their passion and go paddling with others. It is run by Members for Members.
Fees
Membership and Pool Session fees fund the resources we use; Pool Fees, Paddle UK affiliation, Equipment & Maintenance (club boats & kit) and other expenses that the Committee agrees are necessary for the furtherance and benefit of the Club and its Members.
There is also a requirement for training in some areas such as welfare, safeguarding & child protection – club finances are used for training key committee members in these roles.
Any profit the club is lucky enough to make at the end of the year is invested back into the club and the accounts are reviewed and checked at the AGM each year.
The Committee
All committee members are club members that volunteer their own free time to help with the smooth running of the club. They are all unpaid.
The Coaches
All coaches, leaders and instructors are club members that volunteer their own free time at club pool sessions, trips and other organised training sessions. They are all unpaid.
The Club
For all members, coaches, committee members and everyone else involved with the club, paddling is our hobby and for some, our passion.
We all pay for our own additional Paddle UK membership, training courses, safety courses and coaching updates for our own personal paddling improvement and we donate this knowledge and our time to help other members.
We all work as a team helping each other on our paddling journey together.
#WeAllPaddleTogether