Sport England have reported that there are 2 million fewer women than men regularly participating in sport and exercise.
The opportunity for sporting bodies such as the paddling community, to involve these women is massive. 13 million women said they would like to increase their participation in sport and physical activity, including 6 million women who are not currently active.
The #ShePaddles movement is on a mission to continue to close the gap between men and women and girls participation in the paddlesport community by taking a targeted approach in reducing barriers and creating more appealing paddling opportunities for women.
Each year we work with a group of inspirational women who share their love of paddlesport with their communities on the water and via social media. They are our #ShePaddles Ambassadors.This group get involved in Paddle UK activity such as the Big Paddle Clean Up and Safety campaigns.
Our Ambassadors are active in the Facebook Women’s Paddling Community – this connects over 8,000 women who are sharing and supporting their paddling ideas, stories and ambitions, make new friends, meet up, and discuss paddling in general. Join the group here.
We also have #ShePaddles Champion Clubs. This programme aims to improve the opportunities for women and girls in the paddling community across our clubs within England by supporting them to achieve on the water qualifications and improving the provision for others in their club or community.
Our women membership continues to grow, with a rise of 5.5%, bringing our total membership figure to 37.8%. The number of women in leadership roles continues to increase with women making up 26% of British Canoeing’s qualified coaches and leaders.
