PADDLER 90
PADDLER 90
They thought a canoe challenge
would provide the inclusivity they wanted . But they had no idea where to start . They had contacted a canoe hire company that would organise the challenge for them , but the price quoted at £ 7000 – meant this was not a viable option . Hence the email to Sudbury Canoe Club . Over a few email exchanges with Gary , an amputee himself and a trustee of Steel Bones , we explored the options .
The idea of a version of ‘ Sudbury to the Sea ’ quickly emerged as the favoured option . This is a 26-mile paddle from Sudbury to Cattawade ( the sea near Manningtree ) along the beautiful River Stour , which runs through ‘ Constable country ’, passing historic Flatford mill . Cows are still grazed on the riverbanks and come down to the river to drink , we see kingfishers , pike and even the occasional otter . The River Stour Trust organise an annual paddle of the route ( partly to keep the river open as a navigation ) over two days with an overnight camping stopover midway . We thought we could adapt it for the amputees .
So , the Steel Bones Canoe Challenge was born !
I vividly remember the first planning meeting with Gary and Emma from Steel Bones , which took place in a packed supermarket coffee shop . We discussed logistics and other practicalities rather politely until one of our team ( who can be a bit blunt ) asked a question troubling us , “ What would happen if an amputee fell into the river ? Could they swim with an artificial limb on ? If not , how easy would it be to get it off ?” Gary promptly reached down , took his leg off and put it on the table between us ! I am not sure who was most startled . Judging by the reaction of the other patrons , this is not an everyday occurrence in Waitrose . But it set the tone for our interactions with Steel Bones – one of open cooperation mixed with moments of pure comedy . It shouldn ’ t have surprised us , but the amputees we met were , without exception , determined to get on with their lives despite the challenges they faced and did so with a tremendous sense of humour .
We divided up roles with Steel Bones . Sudbury Canoe Club would provide training on paddle skills and safety , the canoes and other kit required , and would lead and guide on the water for the event itself . Steel Bones would handle the logistics of finding the paddlers to participate and organising the fundraising .
TRAINING , PLANNING , PREPARATION
Training started in the Spring . We took small groups of participants for training sessions . These were primarily to build paddle skills , but we also covered safety . A big shout-out should go to Dan McGaley ,