A donation of £2,500 from the Shanly Foundation has supported the purchase of a new boat for the Para-Rowers at Marlow Rowing Club. At a naming ceremony, organised by the Club on Sunday 7 May 2017, the Shanly Foundation unveiled the name for the boat. Inspired by one of the founders of the Rivertime Boat Trust the Shanly Foundation has decided to name the boat after Pat Davis. Pat set up the charity in 2006 and has provided memorable experiences for over 15,000 disabled and disadvantaged children and adults on the Thames so far.
The Rivertime Boat Trust is also staging the first ever Rivertime Accessible Regatta on the 14th June. With Marlow Rowing Club actively supporting the regatta it will showcase a wide variety of accessible activities on both water and land for children and young people with disabilities in the Thames Valley.
The donation for the new boat comes just in time for the Paralympic development scheme – a British Rowing initiative with Marlow Rowing Club to encourage more disabled individuals to get involved with Para-Rowing and step up to an elite level.
“We are thrilled to have been able to make this donation towards the new para-rowing boat at Marlow Rowing Club” comments Tamra Booth, trustee of the Shanly Foundation, who have sponsored both the Marlow Rowing Club and Rivertime Boat Trust. “This is an exciting time for the club, having been selected as hosts for the new Paralympic development scheme.”
“We wanted to name the boat after Pat who has, together with her husband Simon, made such a difference in the community and dedicated so much time to ensuring everyone, no matter how impossible it may seem, can enjoy life on the river. Pat’s cruises continue to be a highlight for many disabled people, young and old, so we thought it extremely fitting to recognise her achievements with her very own boat.”
Pat Davis, co-founder of the Rivertime Boat Trust says “It is a great honour to have this new boat named after me and the Rivertime Boat Trust. I am delighted to see that others also recognise the work we have done with the Trust over the last ten years in opening up the River Thames to the less able.”
Jonathan Walne, captain of Marlow Rowing Club, adds: “The adaptive rowing squad is an important part of our activities here at Marlow: the athletes make an enthusiastic contribution to club life, and have already achieved success at local, national and international level. We are very grateful for the continuing support from the Shanly Foundation, which will help the group grow and prosper. We look forward to more success from our athletes in the years ahead.
For further information on the Shanly Foundation and the causes it supports, please visit: www.shanlyfoundation.com
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ABOUT SHANLY FOUNDATION
- Part of the Shanly Group of companies, The Shanly Foundation is the Group’s charitable arm established by founder and owner, Michael Shanly.
- Financed entirely by the profits generated by the Shanly Group of companies, The Foundation has to-date donated over £10m to thousands of local community groups and charitable organisations to provide support and improve the quality of life for those most in need.
- Other companies within the Group are Shanly Homes, Sorbon Estates and Shanly Partnership Homes specialising in commercial and residential property development, ownership and asset management across London and the South East.
ABOUT RIVERTIME BOAT TRUST
- The Rivertime Boat Trust offers disabled and disadvantaged children and adults the opportunity to get out on the River Thames between Windsor and Oxford on their specially constructed boat. The Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission.
- On 14 June 2017, the Rivertime Boat Trust and Give Them a Sporting Chance will stage the first Rivertime Accessible Regatta in the Thames Valley for children and young people with disabilities.
- The Rivertime Accessible Regatta will be held at the Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, Berkshire and will include competitive bell boating, accessible sailing, wheelchair powerboating and canoeing, as well as a selection of land-based sports such as accessible cycling and chair basketball.
- For more information, visit www.rivertimeboattrust.org.uk