STOURPORT Boat Club is appealing to raise funds to replace its deteriorating landing stage on the eve of the club’s annual regatta.
The concrete landing stage at Stourport is causing damage to the club’s equipment and is in urgent need of an upgrade.
Current club captain Stewart Barnett estimates the club would need to raise around £25,000 to provide a temporary solution.
He is currently in the process of setting up a specific fund which would go towards the cost of the new facility.
The club’s annual regatta, now in its 149th year, takes place this weekend, August 9 and 10.
“We’re a community club and we’re really in a growth phase,” said Stewart.
“The landing stage is just a major issue. It’s damaging equipment and there’s a lot more people going out on the water.
“We’ve currently got a concrete landing stage which is at the wrong height.
“The oars are made of carbon fibre and as the boats come in they get dragged across this horrible concrete. There’s two options. The first option, which would work as a summer solution, would be to get a functional floating landing stage for between £20k and £25k.
“The difficulty then is when the river rises it will keep pulling the landing stage in.
“The ultimate solution would be north of £150k. That’s big money, that would be pie in the sky at this juncture unless we could get a major sponsor on board.
“That would involve putting two sets of steps together and as the river rises you could keep the boats off it and we’d have a different landing stage as well.
“I’ve been captain for two years and I’ve been with the club for 40 years. I’m trying to set up a specific fund for the landing stage.
“It would be massive for the club; it would allow us to get more people on the water.”
The club currently has around 150 members and members will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2026.
For more information or to make a donation contact Stewart Barnett at stewart [email protected] or call 07975 732500
