Benefits of Membership

Some of the benefits of membership

  • Free use of club equipment on club activities
  • Weekly weekday paddles during spring and summer/weekend paddles during the winter at Bungay.
  • Indoor pool sessions in winter (Archbishop Sancroft High School)
  • Outdoor lido sessions in summer (Beccles Lido)
  • Access to skills courses during summer months (cost dependent on length of course)
  • British Canoeing awards – courses and assessments
  • Other courses on adhoc basis; coaching courses, safety and rescue training
  • Join other members on peer paddles or trips e.g. Lee Valley, HPP, Wales, estuary paddles
  • 15% discount at The Boathouse, Attleborough – kayak and canoe outlet.

Why Join a Canoe Club?

There are many reasons to join a canoe club, especially if you are new to paddling.

Canoeing or kayaking can be an expensive sport to take up, with a huge choice of different boats for different uses. Add to this, all the personal equipment – paddles, helmets, buoyancy aids, spray decks – and you could be spending hundreds of pounds before you even get on the water. By joining a club like Waveney Valley Canoe Club, you can try out different boats and activities before deciding whether to invest further in your personal equipment. Use of the equipment is included in your membership fee. Waveney Valley Canoe Club has a wide choice of boats: open canoes, general purpose kayaks, white water kayaks and SUPs.

One of the best benefits of joining a club is the friendships you can make and the experiences you’ll have. By its very nature, canoeing and kayaking is a social activity. We are lucky to be on the beautiful River Waveney and the club paddles are a fantastic way of enjoying the fresh air and natural beauty of the river while being able to chat with other club members. There is no such thing as a typical member at Waveney Valley. We’re a mix of new and experienced paddlers, with a fairly equal mix of male and females. We have new paddlers who are still at school, all ages of adults through to seasoned retirees and some who have returned to paddling after a long break.

As Waveney Valley Canoe Club is affiliated with Paddle UK, you do not need your own licence to paddle on club activities; you are covered by our club licence. However, if you want to paddle on other stretches of river and the broads, we would advise you to take out a Paddle UK membership.

New to Paddling?

If you are new to paddling or it has been a long time since you last paddled, we offer a free taster session. During the summer season, this will be at Bungay on the River Waveney. During the winter, it will be at the pool at Harleston (or a new venue to be determined) which can also give you the chance to capsize in a warm environment! 

At all sessions, coaches & experienced paddlers will be on hand to give advice and to provide safety cover. More information is available on the Taster Sessions page.

New paddlers can build their skills both on organised courses working towards Paddle UK Awards, and informally on club paddles where there is always someone on hand to offer advice and tips.