Welcome to another Paddle UK feature in this brilliant Late Summer issue of the Paddler Magazine.

What a summer we’ve had! So many people have been out enjoying the water, whether here in the UK or on a summer paddling holiday. Even on the water out in Paris, our athletes certainly enjoyed winning a record-breaking number of medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games!

You can relive all the magic from the Paris 2024 Games in this feature. Discover our top picks for autumn paddling adventures and get to know one of our #ShePaddles Ambassadors, Eleanor, as she talks about her journey into paddling.

You can also check out some of the latest news from Paddle UK by heading over to our website, https://paddleuk.org.uk/, to keep up-to-date. 

£154k invested into paddlesport projects
Paddle UK is a funding partner of Active Thames. We are proud of the impact our funding partnership with Active Thames has achieved within communities, clubs and organisations over the last three years. During this time, the Active Thames partnership has invested over £154,000 into paddlesport-related projects (£30,000 of which was provided by Paddle UK). This has significantly influenced affiliated clubs based on the tidal Thames and related waterways, helping them to engage with their local communities and get more people paddling.

Find out more here: https://paddleuk.org.uk/154k-invested-into-paddlesport-projects/

Support for River Action’s March for Clean Water
Paddle UK is supporting River Action’s March for Clean Water, which will take place in Central London on Saturday, 26 October. A ‘coalition of the concerned’, including campaigner Feargal Sharkey, is demanding the new government takes urgent action to address the issues affecting the UK’s rivers. The March for Clean Water will take place days before the Chancellor’s first budget on 30th October.

Find out more and get involved here: https://paddleuk.org.uk/support-for-river-actions-march-for-clean-water/

Safety first for the Great Big Paddle Parade
The Great Big Paddle Parade is a recreational event that focuses on staying safe on the water. Courses range from 6 km to 20 km and accommodate every skill level, from experienced to novice paddlers. It was initially due to run on Saturday, 31 August, but the weather had other plans. Strong winds and wild seas were predicted for Saturday. Organiser Sean White of Soak Lifestyles made the tough and brave call to move the event to Sunday.

Read more about the success of the event here: https://paddleuk.org.uk/ safety-first-for-the-great-big-paddle-parade/