Norwich Canoe Club invited paddlers with a disability past and present to a morning of paddling and fun at the weekend.

Friends and family were invited to come along too and in a carnival atmosphere in the sunshine some got out on the water for the very first time.

Thanks to a grant from the Community Fund, Norwich Canoe Club has a thriving program that pro-actively invites those with a disability or those from disadvantaged social backgrounds to paddle.

The club have specialist coaches who have years of experience and a range of specialist equipment.

“It’s been wonderful to see the disability and inclusivity program thriving at the club," said Tim Scott, the senior coach who heads up the program.

“It has been truly life changing for many of those who paddle with us.”

The club caters for all levels of disability and all ages - some paddlers go to paddle to see kingfishers and enjoy the environment, some as part of their physio rehabilitation, while others, like Shaun Cook who has a spinal injury, have developed a love of racing.

Shaun has just been selected to compete for GB at the World Marathon Championships in Croatia in September.

“What’s amazing about the club is that it caters for such a diverse range of needs and disabilities," he said. “It’s truly remarkable. Paddling gave me a complete change of perspective on life after I found myself using a wheelchair. When I first came here I could barely sit up in a boat because my core was so weak and this has been the best rehab imaginable."

The club would like to thank Shelagh Woods (Community Fund Funding Officer for East Anglia) for attending as well as to thank Steps Rehabilitation in Sheffield, who are sponsoring a new disability racing Va’a.

Anyone with a disability who would like to paddle can contact scott.tim@icloud.com - the club are always proactively seeking to make links with any groups who support those from challenging social backgrounds. Two days earlier the Charity Break visited the club as part of the same Inclusivity program.