The 36th sea scouts run their programme during the summer at the centre. The group caters for up to 100 beavers, cubs and scouts and depends for its existence on the centre. The group is Royal Navy accredited and without a permanent facility to run its water actvities from will lose this accreditation and the RN resources that this opens up accross the UK to young people in the borough.
I don’t live in Redbidge, but my children were taught to sail by Geoff Philbey when he ran the Hackney Educational Watersports Centre before moving to Fairlop, and I support your campaign to keep FOAC open. It seems incredible that Redbridge Council want to close this wonderful facility when it will be needed more than ever at the end of the pandemic crisis to help young people to get more outdoor activity after being locked down for months in the past year. The centre has many resources that just need maintaining and using to the full. It is very short-sighted of the council to want to save a small amount of money now instead of wanting to develop the health and wellbeing of local young people. The centre proves that sailing and canoeing are for all, and can be enjoyed by innumerable people who don’t have a lot of money to spend. The boats and facilities are there, just waiting to be used, and shouldn’t be wasted, but should be used to encourage independence in young people.