Two schools have come together in Reading to provide a fun day of rowing out on the River Thames.
Reading School's Community Rowing Programme is an initiative by former Olympic rower Reverend James Stephenson to make rowing more accessible.
The latest outing on June 17 saw pupils from Battle Primary School enjoy a rowing session.
Reverend Stephenson writes:
The day was a powerful display of social impact.
Lives have been changed by the programme. Children from extremely tough backgrounds have felt emotions that they have never felt and would likely never feel if not for their rowing. Now, they’ll seek those feelings in other areas of life. The effect will ripple out through Reading society and beyond.
All Year 6 rowers have an invite and are, of course, super welcome back to the programme once at secondary school. This transition work is a government objective and directive. This is it in action.
If they could have raced at a Junior 13 event then my guess is that their fastest crew would have won. Great technique and brilliant steering. It is a great loss for British Rowing that they couldn’t race.
Over a thousand primary students have experienced the programme using machines. Around 100 year 6 students from 6 different primary schools have enjoyed multiple water sessions.
Every kid after every session gets a chocolate digestive in exchange for telling the coaches how they feel. A direct challenge to the alexithymia that is pervading society and causing mental health issues.
And that’s just the primary section of the programme!
Tom Evans, the assistant headteacher from Reading School is the visionary and is firmly placed as one of the best educationalists on the planet.
You can find out more about the Community Rowing Programme on the Reading School website.
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