Our 90 young athletes, many training to compete nationally, now no longer have access to the boats and other equipment they have used for the last two years. This could mean the end of racing and training, and also the Club which means so much to this group of outstanding children.

Brentford Boat Club membership is drawn from 30 different London schools, mainly boroughs of Hounslow, Ealing & Richmond. We are a welcoming and inclusive rowing club with wide diversity, female & male athletes, multicultural, and neurodiverse. Families with limited funds are offered financial assistance, making our club truly inclusive. Our Athletes’ story defies the story of teenagers of our time, motivated and engaged in sport who otherwise would not be. Our Club is built on strong relationships not just within year groups or boat crews, but throughout the club. We see older athletes mentoring younger athletes, sharing learning, offering support and encouragement. The benefit from rowing extends from sport to other areas of their lives, giving our kids confidence, boosting self-belief.

For many of our athletes rowing is their only sport. Hours of winter training, early morning sessions and competition have forged strong bonds between athletes from different schools and parts of the borough. Our Club is more than just a rowing club; it is a second home and a community for our athletes.

We are a young club, but already some of our athletes have won National Medals (that’s a huge deal), beating some well-established, better-funded clubs and private schools. Proof that dedication and commitment are the key ingredients to success, not postcode.

Happy scene 21st December 2025: Pudding Race

At Christmas, the 90 children who row with Brentford Boat Club were dealt a devastating blow as the boats, blades (oars) and additional equipment required for rowing were removed from the Club House following a dispute with the previous user of the site. Athletes were devastated to see the boats gone, the site looked ransacked, their rowing hopes for training and competition were ruined, along with the safe space. The emotional safety net of the club wrecked.

27th December 2025, the site almost empty.

Our members have had such a short timeframe to come to terms with the dramatic changes. At a time when people want to celebrate family and connection and look forward to the year ahead, this is the worst thing that could happen. This is why we are seeking to raise £50k to rebuild the club kit, sourcing second hand and refurbished boats, safety equipment and other equipment to get our kids back onto water.

This sounds like a lot of money, and it is. There is a lot of equipment needed to safely row, to keep our kids doing what they love. Some examples of equipment and costs (second hand or rental) are below:

- Boats, we need multiple and different sizes, start from £6000 for a quad for a good second hand, could be £20000 for an Octuple second hand.

- Blades (that’s oars) £700 per pair new. Tricky to find sets second-hand. Any boat we buy won’t come with blades.

- Racking to store the boats depends on the number of boats, we need about £5000 worth. We hope we can find second-hand.

The Brentford Boat Club – Parent Committee inspired by our children getting up at dawn to row from run-down shipping containers, are running the club on a financial shoestring. The club survives on subscription fees and a few small grants and donations we gratefully received. We were shocked by the events just after Christmas, and simply do not have the cash reserves to replace the lost equipment. We simply cannot self-fund what is now needed to keep the Club running. We don't have what older, more established clubs have - a legacy of donations, we don't even have a Club House! We do have a determined Committee and parent body who are delighted by the positive changes we see in our athletes and have enormous pride and admiration for the children of the club. We are doing everything we can to keep the club going

The Club has an independent constitution and governance, and we are strongly motivated to continue the rowing legacy of this newly formed club for the next generation of rowers in Brentford.

You can keep up to date with us via Instagram or our website https://brentfordboatclub.com/

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