Equip, Educate & Illuminate

Aim

To train volunteer coaches, refurbish a boat and install lighting so our club is safe, accessible and open to all year-round.

Who are we?

Olderfleet Rowing Club is a volunteer-led coastal rowing club with a strong commitment to supporting young people in our local community. We provide structured, positive sporting opportunities that help young people stay active, build confidence and develop important life skills. Our club is inclusive and open to all, welcoming young people of different abilities and backgrounds. Through rowing and off-water training, we create a safe, supportive environment where young people are encouraged to work as a team, set goals and develop resilience. We have seen first-hand how regular activity, routine and positive role models can improve young people’s physical and mental wellbeing. Olderfleet Rowing Club is proud to play an active role in helping young people stay engaged, motivated and connected through sport.

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are crowdfunding to deliver a one-off improvement project that will increase safe access to coastal rowing at Olderfleet Rowing Club. The club has recently been donated a quad rowing boat, which presents a valuable opportunity to get more people on the water. However, the boat requires a full fit-out, including seats, slides, riggers and essential fixtures, before it can be safely used.

Alongside this, our club currently has no external lighting, limiting safe access to the site during darker mornings and evenings, particularly when moving boats and equipment. Installing lighting will significantly improve safety and allow more consistent, year-round use of the facilities.

We are also investing in the upskilling of volunteer coaches through recognised training courses, ensuring sessions are delivered safely, inclusively and to best-practice standards. As a volunteer-led club funded solely through membership, these capital and training costs cannot be met through regular income alone. 

Crowdfunding will enable us to complete this specific project, increasing on-water capacity, improving safety, and ensuring more people can benefit from rowing in a safe and supportive environment.

How we’ll spend the money raised

All funds raised will be ring-fenced and used specifically for this one-off project. The money will be spent across four key areas, and all expenditure will be delivered within the Sport NI Creating Opportunities timeframe, before 31st March:

• Fitting out a donated quad rowing boat with essential equipment, including seats, slides, riggers, footplates and safety fittings, enabling the boat to be safely launched and increasing on-water capacity for training and community sessions.

• Purchase of additional safety radios, required to support safe communication between boats and shore as more crews are on the water. These radios are essential for coordinating sessions, responding quickly to changing conditions, and maintaining high safety standards.

• Installation of external lighting at the club, which currently has none, to improve safety when accessing the facilities and moving boats during early mornings and evenings, particularly during darker months.

• Upskilling volunteer coaches through Rowing Ireland’s Introduction to Coaching course, strengthening coaching knowledge, safety awareness and best practice, and ensuring sessions are delivered in a safe, inclusive and supportive manner. Nine volunteers will complete this training, enabling the club to run additional sessions for new participants. Young adults taking the course will be beginning their coaching journey, creating a clear pathway into leadership and volunteering. The increased coaching capacity will also support targeted opportunities for women and girls, people from lower‑income backgrounds, and individuals returning to physical activity who benefit from structured, supportive sessions. This investment builds long‑term coaching capacity and supports a sustainable pathway for participation and development within the club.

No funds will be used for salaries, general running costs or ongoing expenses. This investment will deliver lasting benefits by improving safety, access and participation in coastal rowing for our community.

Community impact

This project will make a lasting positive difference by improving safety, access and participation in coastal rowing for our local community.

By fitting out a donated quad rowing boat, we will increase our on-water capacity, allowing more people to row at the same time, including beginners, juniors and recreational members. This reduces waiting times, removes barriers to participation and enables more inclusive community sessions.

Installing external lighting will significantly improve safety and accessibility, particularly during darker mornings and evenings. This will allow members to access the club safely year-round, support consistent training schedules, and reduce risk when moving boats and equipment.

The purchase of additional safety radios will strengthen on-water safety as activity increases, ensuring clear communication between crews and shore, faster response times, and improved confidence for participants.

Upskilling volunteers through Rowing Ireland’s Introduction to Coaching course will improve the quality and safety of delivery, strengthen volunteer retention, and ensure participants are supported in a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment. 

Together, these improvements will support physical health, mental wellbeing, confidence and social connection, helping Olderfleet Rowing Club continue to be a positive, accessible and sustainable community asset.

[upload an image here]

How you can play your part

There are three simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made