Words and photos:
Clare Rutter
British Canoeing #ShePaddles Ambassador for Canoe Wales
Clare Rutter
Contact
Facebook: clarerutter.DBA
Twitter: clare_rutter
Instagram: clare_rutter.ba.hons
For more information: Email Clare Rutter at shepaddlesambassador@canoewales.com
or Gayle Penn at gayle.penn@canoewales.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/shepaddlescymru www.canoewales.com
Participant Heike (Llandysul) said: “Brilliant comradery and friendship, encouraging everyone to grow and learn… A perfect day.”
The explosive rise of #ShePaddles Cymru
In 2019, Canoe Wales decided to get on board with the #ShePaddles programme that British Canoeing had been running for three years to address an identified paddlesport gender imbalance in Wales. At the time, less than three in ten Welsh paddlers were female and identified several barriers preventing or deterring women from taking up and remaining in paddlesport. Reasons included a lack of finance or access to childcare through to lowered confidence in a male-dominated environment and feeling that, as women, it was still seen and expected that females should be the primary parent with no hobbies or interests of their own and the associated fear of being judged and looked down upon for their own wants and desires.
Canoe Wales successfully applied for funding from Sport Wales to develop paddlesport opportunities to increase the participation, membership and retention of women and girls. To support them in their journeys, whether they wished to develop their skills and knowledge to be a weekend recreational paddler, gain awards and qualifications to become an instructor, leader, coach or guide, or pursue a competitive career as an athlete.
One of the first steps was to recruit a #ShePaddles Ambassador to inspire, motivate and be that friendly face with a supportive personality to help promote paddlesports and its participation and help drive the #ShePaddles idea, programme and opportunities forwards. As we all know, though, Covid-19 struck, potentially threatening the opportunities that may have been considered in any ‘normal’ year.
Roll on several weeks, during the first ‘stay at home’ lockdown, I was contacted by Gayle Penn, a Development Officer at Canoe Wales, who informed me that I had been successful in my application to be their #ShePaddles Ambassador. I was over the moon, and the news came at a time when everybody needed some real positivity and glimmers of hope. The real question in such an unprecedented situation would be how we moved forwards and make a success of the programme in such an uncertain world.
Opportunity to lift me
I believe that there are always opportunities to be found, even in the darkest of days. Coming from a background in the Scouts, youth work, and other people-focused organisations, I knew I had the skills, experience, and ideas to help others through such difficult times and myself. I’m a big advocate for breaking the stigma of mental health and encouraging people to talk about their thoughts and feelings. I’d only returned to work shortly before the first lockdown following a long period of recovery after sustaining a traumatic brain injury, and my mental health, which hadn’t always been good, was taking a hit. In reality, lockdown and no paddling was breaking me. Being launched into the #ShePaddles role was an opportunity to lift me and bring some light into the darkness for us all.
At my first video meeting with Gayle and Jen Rigby, the Membership and Communications Officer at Canoe Wales, I asked what they wanted me to do and how they wanted me to be perceived. The reply was, “Clare, if you have the ideas, we’ll make them happen; you can mould the role as you wish.” YES! Having that freedom, encouragement and trust right from the start was a fantastic stepping stone to getting 100% directly involved rather than just being ‘the face’. This proved vital in bringing ideas to paddle reality and, ultimately, playing a massive part in the resulting explosive success of #ShePaddlesCymru!
Social media
Difficult times call for creative solutions. With so many at home, this seemed an obvious doorway to our intended audience, and so effective use of social media was the way to go. As the world was facing high demand for its supply of paddlesports equipment, one of my initiatives, #ShePaddlesSaturday was born. Promotion of discussion, learning, awareness and preparedness to new, beginner and even experienced paddlers who would be desperate to hit our blue spaces as restrictions eased. #ShePaddlesSaturday is my widely shared, weekly article on topics such as safety, personal equipment, mental health, the Clear Access Clear Waters campaign, the Waterways Licence, litter, injuries and training, qualifications and awards. The initiative has been a success with incredible engagement from all types and levels of paddlers, male and female.
Early on, I suggested a Wales-based Facebook group. I believed that building a solid, central hub in the time that we couldn’t be out there for real would be a time-efficient, valuable starting point for people to network. Also, for the experienced to interact with beginners, ask questions and share what they would like #ShePaddlesCymru to look like and provide. We weren’t sure if the group would take off as, at first, we only had around 25 members, and most of those were people that we knew! But then, BOOM! #ShePaddlesCymru exploded, and it hasn’t slowed down yet! With over 1000 members, the ever-growing #ShePaddlesCymru Facebook group is a vibrant and engaging community of epic women!
Emerging from lockdown, the story goes that I’d posted on our Facebook group that I fancied a paddle in New Quay, west Wales and that any company would be welcomed. Some ladies immediately jumped at the chance and said they’d be there – GREAT! Gayle phoned and informed me that there were ladies who wanted to come, including her, but didn’t have any of their own equipment, and could I help out?
Participant Marie, our dedicated roadie who joined us at every event, said: “The Brecon expedition was amazing. Like all the other tour dates, it brought the continued benefits of comradeship with the lovely paddling group. I’ve made such lovely friends. The tour helped me solidify a personal growth goal, and this means one thing, I want more!”
On tour
Later, we had a chat about how it went. With beaming smiles, I said to Gayle, “We should go on tour with this!” And, that’s exactly what we did! ‘#ShePaddlesCymru On Tour 2020’ was born! The first event was planned, risk assessed, equipment and instructors sought within just three days flat. One week later, we were at North Dock, Llanelli, with canoes, kayaks, stand up paddleboards, three instructors and 25 extremely excited participants. Once again, the smiles and laughter rang out as before, but on a larger scale, the ‘#ShePaddles effect’ was back in action!
With location suggestions from the ladies of the Facebook group, we pretty quickly had a full tour schedule in all corners of Wales suitable for beginner taster sessions. We continued our epic road trip at Barry Dock, Cardiff, Llyn Padarn, Llanberis, Swansea Canal, Clydach, Llyn Tegid, Bala and the lake Llandysul Paddlers Centre.
The locations and events were absolutely fantastic and so much fun. We had some incredible participants, picture-perfect locations, and the weather was pretty kind to us each time, always sunny with a good Welsh breeze!
We also had a ‘grand finale’ to the tour, a ten-mile paddle expedition on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. The whole day was such an achievement in many respects, with many never having paddled so far before and pushing their boundaries. Everyone gave 100% and supported and encouraged each other through – another incredible day of making memories, friendships and networks for life.
High demand
At the beginning of #ShePaddlesCymru, we didn’t expect how big, popular and successful it would be. We’d hoped for it, but we never imagined it! Word spread quickly that Canoe Wales were ‘On Tour’.
Friends told friends, and online posts got shared. As tickets for each event were released, they went from selling out over several days to in just a couple of hours. Demand was high! The ladies were ready for action, and we were ready to deliver it! The idea of a fully sold-out tour surprised us each and every tour date and still does to this day when we look back on it. This, in a year that we thought we wouldn’t be able to do anything, to one that was non-stop and action-packed! There was a gap in the market for such a provision. We were giving a low cost, nurturing, supportive and non-judgemental experience in an all-female, female-led environment. We even had childcare available at one of the venues.
Despite a restrictive 2020, our events led to 256 new and beginner women and girls participating and all achieving their ‘British Canoeing Paddle Start Award’. We were later overjoyed to hear that one in two of our participants had signed up to become full ‘On the Water’ members of Canoe Wales.
Together, we’re changing the statistics, destroying barriers, providing valuable quality opportunities, inspiring ladies to realise their dreams, promoting self-belief, empowerment and, right now and perhaps most importantly – boosting each other’s positive mental health and all through our love of paddlesport.
We’re busy behind the scenes at team #ShePaddlesCymru to provide (Covid-19 permitting) an even bigger 2021 with national and regional approaches with even more events, opportunities, disciplines, and training more females to take part and help progress them on their paddlesport journeys. We gained some fantastic volunteers who we’re investing in by providing training towards their awards and qualifications.
Coach Mer said of the expedition: “A big step for some of our beginners to paddle this distance (10 miles). It was a real highlight within a very sombre year, and I was delighted to take part. In the end, I felt like we’d ticked a big box but with a whole lot more to look forward to. This was just the start.”
#ShePaddles has to be experienced to be believed
For me, I’m having so much fun in my role that it’s become bigger and more rewarding than I ever could have imagined. For quite a quiet and private individual, I’ve done a lot of public speaking, written guest blogs and magazine articles. I get recognised a lot and have had some incredible experiences that have pushed my boundaries, such as being interviewed live on ITV and at the Kendal Mountain Festival. It’s all amazing, and I love every minute of it!
There’s been so many smiles and gut-wrenching bouts of laughter that have made for some truly unforgettable memories and some fantastic road trips to incredibly jaw-droppingly beautiful locations. It’s such an honour and so fulfilling working as part of an enthusiastic, passionate, positive and motivated #ShePaddlesCymru and Canoe Wales team and for British Canoeing as a whole. To me, we’re one giant force, loving our hobby out in the great outdoors and, together, as empowered women, we’re taking on the world!
