A reunion of the Clasper family is planned for Saturday, May 30, from Noon until 2pm at South Shields Library in Georg Square (South Shields Town Centre). Relatives of Harry Clasper, the famous Geordie rower, are being invited to a family re-union in South Shields to celebrate a play that commemorates the 170th anniversary of[…]
On the morning of Saturday 28th February 2015, Bill Grant, an active member of Durham Amateur Rowing Club (DARC), suffered a medical episode resulting in him falling off his bike and into the River Wear. With help from members of the public paramedics began medical procedures on the river bank, until the Great North Air[…]
On May 4th, Bank Holiday Monday, DARC entertained British Rowing Chairman Annamarie Phelps as part of her tour of rowing clubs in the Northern Region prior to attending the launch at Derwenthaugh Marina of the St Ayles skiff ‘Harry Clasper’, built over the winter by members of the newly formed Gateshead Community Rowing Club. The[…]
On Tuesday April 28th the daytime rowers entertained a group of 6 recreational rowers from Nottingham Rowing Club, known as the Nottingham Explorers, who had asked to visit us. They are an expanding group of experienced tourers who have already rowed at exotic places such as Amsterdam and Venice and are always on the lookout[…]
The Club has undertaken some sterling fundraising efforts over recent months. The Juniors squad takes part regularly in bag-packing days at local supermarkets as a means of raising vital funds. Members of other squads also join in to act as packers and supervisors. The session on February 21st at Morrisons, Doxford Park raised £933 while[…]
History was made on April 11th 2015 with the Women’s University Boat Race for the first time being staged on the same Tideway course and on the same day as the Men’s race, both being televised live by the BBC. DARC decided it would be a good idea to follow suit, breaking new ground of[…]
Message from Bill Grant’s son Richard regarding arrangements for Bill’s memorial service I’d like to let you know a memorial service will be held for my father at 2pm on Friday 13th March, at All Saint’s Church in Cleadon. Please do circulate this among all who would be interested. All who would like to attend[…]
Following the latest inspection by the Food Safety Officer in February 2015 the club’s kitchen facility now has the highest level with a 5 Star Food Hygiene Rating. Thanks to Gene, Nicola, Clare, Marian and others for their hard work.
FILLING “THE 9th SEAT” If the rowers are the “brawn” of the boat, then the cox is,”the brains”. The cox is a crucial seat in the boat, not just a seat to be filled by someone dragged off the bank! As much as the physical and mental skills of the rowers, makes a difference come race[…]
How the warm hospitality of DARC inspired a West Country resident to take up Rowing My twin sister, Joyce, was born feet first with a smile on her face and her foot firmly on my backside pushing me to get on with the business of living. She’s been like that ever since – amazingly fit,[…]
Our famous Curry Night and only £7 a ticket. Please buy your tickets NOW – Helen and Sarah need to know numbers so they can get the quantities right. Helen Adair and Sarah Rutter have been organising this for some time – lets support it and get together as a club. Tickets available from Helen,[…]
Jacki Patrickson is DARC’s coaching co-ordinator. A civil engineer and mother of two, her first job as a graduate, was spent building roads and bridges around Durham (I have it on good authority that she is particularly fond of culverts). Four years ago she moved back to Durham and started working freelance, providing interim management,[…]
2014 looks set to be another golden year for DARC super rower, Gill Prescott. Gill, who recently won the North East Sporting Inspiration of the Year Award 2013, broke her own world record for the 55-59 age group at the English Indoor Rowing Championships in Manchester on 3rd March. Gill took 1/10th of a second[…]
Mark is a former Chester-le-Street member, and joined DARC nearly 2 years ago. He was in the Royal Navy, and was a Sales Manager for Debenhams. He qualified as a UKCC level 2 rowing coach 2 ½ years ago and then became a Community Rowing Coach. Now he combines his role as a Foster Carer[…]
The Rec rowers did a magnificant job yesterday, Monday 10th Feb, to give the gym a deep clean, and the Junior section pitched in to put all the equipment back in place, before their training session. Twenty plus rec rowers spent over two hours on the cleaning make-over with their characteristic enthusiasm. Virtually all the[…]
Talking to DARC profiler, Sarah Wheater, I took the opportunity to find out about the CHECK-CLEAN-DRY campaign. Andy: Sarah, it sounds like a dry cleaning company, what’s it all about? Sarah: It’s actually about stopping the spread of alien species Kind permission of The Environment Agency Andy: I’m guessing you’re not talking about rowers from[…]
Sarah Wheater is an environmental scientist and novice rower. Originally from South Yorkshire, she moved to Durham in September 2012. How did you get into rowing? Through the sports and social club at work. I had a friend in Warrington who was helping organise a Learn to Row course and they needed an extra body[…]
It’s like one of those maths problems. How many cups of coffee does it take at 50p a cup (less cost of the makings, not forgetting the biscuits) to raise £2500 in a year. Answer … A lot. The rec rowers have just handed over this money, as their contribution to club funds, from both[…]
John Riach rowed many years ago, at the Royal Grammar in Newcastle, and took part in the first Durham Head in 1959 in a ‘maiden’ crew (for all you millenials, that’s the old term for ‘novice’). A civil engineer, John worked all over the country until his retirement a few years ago. Andy: John, I’ve[…]
The juniors spent 3 hours bag packing at Sainsbury’s at Pity Me on the night of 30th December – a fairly quiet night as shopping numbers go, but the amount raised was a whopping £601.54. The junior Christmas Breakfast raised £76 The junior Christmas fayre raised £570 for the Phillipine Disaster Appeal ( increased to £1070 on[…]
It’s been another award-winning week for the unstoppable Gill Prescott. On Thursday 5th December she won the Northern Echo Local Heroes Award for Outstanding Performance of the Year, after winning the Durham Regional Award. Two days later, she followed this with a Championship Record breaking performance at the British Indoor Rowing Championships in Cardiff on the 7thDecember.[…]
The Christmas Fayre was a great success ( it would have been nice if more club members had called in for a free coffee and mince pie) but we raised £571 on the day and as a result of a £for£ charity match from my employer (Lloyds Bank) the final total going to the Disasters Emergency[…]
I am sorry to have to inform you that Roly Metcalfe, a long standing member of DARC, passed away peacefully on Friday, after a short illness. Roly was a member of DARC for many years, indeed he was one of the Vets who introduced me to rowing over 20 years ago, coxing his crew at[…]
Mick Downworth, of the Mens Development Squad, is an outreach worker for forces Veterans and their families in Gateshead. So, last thursday 28th November, Mick had arranged a day out, at the club, for this ‘Gateshead Veterans Hub’. Some of the veterans had suffered injuries and disabilities and have served in places such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo,[…]
Not content with breaking world records and winning over 30 events this year, Gill Prescott is now through to the finals of the Northern Echo Local Heroes Awards 2013. Gill won the Sporting Achievement of the Year Award at the County Durham Sports Awards in October and has now been shortlisted for the Award for[…]
The full report of the DARC SATISFACTION SURVEY – Report and Plans for Action is out today. Over two thirds of the 117 respondents rated their satisfaction with their membership of DARC, as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’. There were many positives about the facilities, about the general friendliness of members, and for the excellent coaching,[…]
Durham rowing Olympian, Jess Eddie, visited the club on the 6th October to launch our newest racing boat, the “Jessica Eddie”, a lightweight Eight named in her honour. Jess, who attended St.Leonard’s School in Durham and learned to row on the River Wear at age 8, joined Durham ARC as a teenager before being picked[…]
D.A.R.C. and team arena have formed a partnership to design and run corporate and team events at the club. The club has run occasional corporate and team events over the years in response to requests, and myself and a few other regulars, have usually been involved. The idea now is to try to build a[…]
After over a month of testing and tweaking Durham ARC is happy to announce our new River Wear WebCam and Weather Station. Combined together these allow club members to evaluate river conditions prior to leaving home. Images and readings are updated every few minutes throughout the day. WebCam The WebCam looks out over the landing[…]
This item is now sold Durham ARC have the following boat for sale 2006 Sims Evolution double scull, wing riggers, carbon seats. 95kg – bought for World Class Start hence little use. £3000 ovno Please contact Mark Bell for information or to make an offer.