South East (River) Strategic Plan

The South East Regional Rowing Council (SERRC) is a representative body made up of rowing clubs and events affiliated to the ARA in Kent, Sussex and South East London.

The SERRC governs and promotes rowing in the region and has developed this plan to prioritize and co-ordinate the SERRC's aims and activities for the next four years and to mesh the region's specific needs with the priorities identified within the ARA's Whole Sport Plan. The SERRC's Forward Plan tries to give vision and lead the way as to the future development and growth of rowing within the SERRC's region.

The Region's Forward Plan sets out the values and principles the SERRC wishes to encourage and seeks to guide clubs and events in:

• Playing an active part in developing rowing for the benefit of their local communities.
• Developing good and transparent practices and being accountable organisations.
• Assisting the creation of new rowing clubs in the region.
• Providing a welcoming environment with support for the participants.
• Developing safe practices in rowing and a culture of safety.
• Continuing to provide equal opportunities to all the participants in rowing.
• Creating opportunities for those with talent to join High Performance pathways.
• Valuing and recognizing the work of volunteers and providing them with support and training.

The SERRC values all its partners and welcomes the cooperation and help that the sport has obtained from all its partners. It will continue to work with the two Sport England regions and three County Sports Partnerships that the Council's region spans, and it will work with the other ARA regions served by those Sport England regions to ensure that the SERRC's requirements are taken into account and are not in conflict with those of our neighbouring ARA regions. We are pleased to be considered a priority sport for Sussex by the Sussex Sports Partnership. The SERRC will continue to work with current partners and actively seek out new partnerships to support the needs and aims of its plan and for the good of rowing in the SERRC's region.

In its Forward Plan the SERRC set out its aims, priorities and the actions to be taken with regard to them.

The priorities are to:

• build the capacity of, and modernize, the facilities of existing clubs and help them gain security of tenure.
• increase the take up of education and training by participants and to help give a modern and clear structure to the sport within the region.
• help clubs form lasting links with their local communities, schools and colleges etc.
• help generate new clubs in new locations.
• increase participation in rowing as a recreational activity by promoting the benefits of indoor and touring rowing,
• increase participation in rowing by minority groups.
• increase competition in the region and increase the numbers of trained umpires.
• improve communication in the region by creating a regional web presence.
• encourage members to be more aware of the plans of existing and potential partners who could help them achieve their aims.

Through its regional survey, the ARA club survey and existing ARA files, the region has identified:

• Opportunities to expand the sport on to new waters at Sevenoaks, Ashford, Eastbourne, The Isle of Sheppey, Rye and Surrey Quays.
• Tenure issues for clubs at; Ardingly RC, Erith RC and Medway Towns RC.