EverythingCommunity Sponsors Active Day Out on the Water
Remember school outings when you were young, all bustling onto the school bus and heading into the countryside for a day of abseiling, canoeing or other outdoor activities? Well, here is the shocker… those places still exist. Chances are, you went to one very similar to Leicester Outdoor Pursuit Centre. We partnered up with Leicester Outdoor Pursuit Centre to fund a day on the water for the members of Mosaic.
The team at EverythingBranded, one of the fastest growing promotional product distributors in the country, maintain great relationships with charities and non-profits around the world. Charities often use promotional products to raise funds or awareness, and on this occasion, we were approached from LOPC, looking for help with funding. We were happy to donate £500 towards fully funding a group of people with disabilities to take part in a Kata Kanu session on the water. A Kata Kanu is a cross between Canoeing and Bell Boating, large enough for 6 people. This easy to paddle, very stable craft allows you to play about and have loads of fun on the river. Watch below to find out more about LOPC to see some of new facilities they have in place at the centre.
Up a creek with paddles a-plenty!
The 17th May bought about further easing of lockdown, allowing up to groups of 30 allowed to meet outdoors. It also bought rain clouds, but this did not stop a few different groups from flocking to the river soar to enjoy the outdoors. Greeted by a friendly and enthusiastic Centre Manager, Stuart Fraser took great pride in showing us around the grounds to show us all the outdoor facilities. Then we took to the waters side to watch the Katakanu-ing commence. The members of Mosaic seemed eager to hit the water and the heavens remained bright without a shower in sight. It was also an opportunity for the centre to use its newly installed hoist for the first time since its installation last year. This has been an integral extension of the slipway, allowing less abled bodies the same access to the water as everyone else. It’s the small additions such as this which facilitate inclusivity of all members of the local community, something that is intrinsic to the values of LOPC.
About Mosaic
Mosaic 1898 is a disability charity providing life enhancing support and care services which promote inclusion, equality, independence, choice, empowerment, respect, and dignity for all.
They recognise and challenge the prejudice, discrimination and social isolation that disabled people face throughout their lives and work to deliver dynamic, creative, and accessible services for adults and children. Something they’ve been doing since 1898 – www.mosaic1898.co.uk/
About LOPC
The centre saw its beginnings when the old Belgrave Boat House changed hands to the Leicester Youth Service as an Outdoor Pursuits Centre in 1965. At this time, it was taken on to provide canoeing and canoe building but quickly expanded to include other outdoor activities such as hill walking, sailing, and camping. As the breadth of activities expanded, so did the land area, when in January 1974, 13.85 acres of adjoining land were added to the OPC. Over the next couple of decades, it became a Centre of Excellence, attracting people from all over the country into the heart of Leicestershire. 2011 European Adventurer of the Year Ed Stafford is also a patron of LOPC, having learned there when he was just a child.
If you’re interested in adventurous outdoor activity experiences designed to stimulate, educate and motivate young people and others at affordable prices in a challenging and safe environment then please visit: https://www.lopc.co.uk/
