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First of all, thanks for running a trip!  The club is only the vibrant, busy community that it is because people like you give up your time to organise things.  The committee - and the rest of the members - are really grateful!

We've a lot of experience in the Club, so if there's something specific about the trip you're running that you'd like more information on, just ask.  The committee is a good place to start, and the Coaching Chairperson can also point you in the right direction.

We've put some general tips together to hopefully make your trip planning a little easier, and - equally importantly - to make sure the Club members (particularly newer members) know what to expect on the trip.  The best way of doing this is to put all the information in the Club calendar. (You can see step-by-step instructions on adding things to the Club calendar here).

Example trip calendar entry

Click for larger image.

As a Club, most of our paddles are "peer paddles" - just a bunch of friends paddling together.  Newer members often expect some more support than this from an experienced paddler, river leader or coach, so it's important that we let them know whether that kind of help is going to be available on the trip. (It's fine if there's not this kind of support available, you just need to let everyone know).  British Canoeing require this information to appear on all Club activities.  

Most trips are likely to have a combination of "peer paddlers" plus a group of "supported" less-confident members.  We've tried to give some guidance for new members as to the different kinds of trips we offer here - it's worth taking a quick look through it yourself as well.

Please also take a look through the relevant risk assessment for your trip (see below).  It's all pretty common-sense, but it is necessary to read it before your trip.

One other thing to bear in mind: most of the time, people are capable of making their own decisions regarding what to paddle, and whether the conditions match their skill level.  Occasionally, you'll find that someone wants to join your trip but you're not really confident that their skills are appropriate, or that they've got the experience to make the right decision themselves.  In that (thankfully rare) event, the best thing to do is to gently let the person down and suggest that they get some more experience before doing this trip.  You're not obliged to take someone on the trip if you have concerns about their safety.  Please do get in touch with someone on the committee or the coaching chair if you want some confidential advice on this.

Finally, thanks again for organising, and have a fantastic time!

Risk Assessments for Trips 

• Touring Trip risk assessment
• Sea Kayaking risk assessment
• Whitewater Trip risk assessment
• Multiday risk assessment (not for car-camping and bunkhouse trips; only if you're carrying camping gear in your boats expedition-style)

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