We are a self-funding registered charity situated in Wokingham Berkshire. We provide:

  • Water sports include canoeing, kayaking, katakanuing, bellboating, dragon boating, stand up paddle-boarding and raft building.
  • Land based activities including orienteering and initiative games.
  • We run everything from beginners taster sessions to British Canoeing star courses professional coaching and coaching courses.
  • Venue hire with our Function room and meeting room for conferences, meetings and parties.

We are passionate about delivering the best possible service and are dedicated to professionalism and excellence. If you want to go paddling in Berkshire, there’s no better place to be.

Normal Office Hours – Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm (To make a booking please use the book now button in the bottom right corner) – 0118 926 8280

Email – [email protected]

From August 2016 Wokingham Waterside Centre is managed by Cloud9 Pursuits Ltd

www.cloud9pursuits.co.uk

 

Wokingham Waterside Centre 

The Centre was inspired 10 years prior to its opening in 2001by John Cooper, a committed scout. Many people had been accessing the river Thames here at Dreadnought Reach long before Oracle and Thames Valley Park had evolved. There were no facilities for canoeists at that point – indeed the whole stretch was merely scrub land.

John campaigned by visiting Wokingham Borough Council regularly for many years waiting for an opportunity for facilities to be built.

Wokingham Borough Council finally agreed to build a Watersport Centre using 106 funding. The Centre opened to the public in February 2001 and Wokingham Waterside Centre Ltd was set up to run it at no cost to the council or its community.

Donations from Wokingham Scouts, Oracle, Microsoft and Earley Town Council greatly assisted in the purchase of equipment and Wokingham Waterside Centre became a completely self funding registered charity run by volunteers and aiming to benefit the local and wider community.

Wokingham Canoe Club, Reading University Canoe Club and the retail outlet, Marsport also found homes here at the Centre.

As the number of people using the Centre grew so did the expectations of the Board of Trustees and in 2005 they made the decision to employ a full time manager and head coach. This enabled the Centre to be open to Schools and other local groups during the day as well as running courses in the evenings and at the weekends.

The Centre continues to go from strength to strength and has Canoe England Top Centre, Paddle-ability Top Centre and Club Mark status.  

John created a lasting legacy to the community.

 

John Cooper – Founder of Wokingham Waterside Centre LTD – was awarded The Reading Evening Post award for Service to Sport and the Community (Individual) in 2001.  The award was presented by Cllr Tony Barber, the mayor of Wokingham.  “This is a great achievement for John and justifies the perseverance and bloody minded tenacity of someone who had the dream of the Centre so many years ago.”

Very sadly, John died on September 11th 2013 after a short battle with cancer. His smiling face, ethos, values, unwavering  support  and limitless energy is truly missed. 

                   

About the River Thames

It’s part of the longest river in England, it has 45 locks, is home to over 25 species of fish, boasts three areas of outstanding natural beauty and it’s the only river in Europe to have a national trail follow its entire length. This is the rural River Thames.

Starting as a small trickle in the Cotswolds the River Thames travels over 210 miles through the heart of some of England’s most picturesque towns, right into the centre of London and eventually, out into the North Sea. Whether you’re a holiday-maker, a fisherman, boater or just in search of something to do at the weekend, you will find everything you need on the banks of the River Thames.

Facts about the River Thames:

  • The River Thames may take its name from the Sanskrit Tamas meaning “dark” as its waters are often dark and cloudy; another school of thought is that it is named after the Roman Tam meaning “wide” and Isis meaning water.
  • The Environment Agency is the navigation authority for the non-tidal Thames from its source to Teddington Lock. 265 yards below Teddington Lock an obelisk marks the boundary of the jurisdiction between the Environment Agency and the Port of London Authority.
  • Henley-on-Thames is famous for its regatta which started in 1839 and gained royal patronage in 1851. The first Oxford and Cambridge boat races were held here and finished at Henley bridge.
  • There are 45 Locks on the non-tidal River Thames
  • Buscot Lock, just east of Lechlade, is the smallest lock on the river.
  • Pangbourne, where the river Pang flows into the River Thames, is famous as the home of Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind in the Willows and also as the place where Jerome K Jerome’s three men in a boat finish their journey at the Swan Inn.
  • Just downriver from Pangbourne is Mapledurham House, dating from 1588, and thought to be the model for Toad Hall.
  • The non-tidal River Thames is home to over 25 species of course fish.
  • The Thames Path follows the river for 296km (184 miles) from its source, making it the longest riverside walk in Europe.

For more information visit http://www.visitthames.co.uk/