Evening Activity

Wimbledon Park Watersports Centre offers a range of activities for the whole community. The centre is run by Merton Council in London.

Using Sport England market segmentation, the club identified a strong presence of 18yr – 45yr old men within the local area.   As a result, the centre established a club aimed specifically at adults wanting to get active and afloat in the summer evening.

The club offers:

• –Thursday evening sessions over a ten-week period. Times 6.30pm - 8pm
• –Flexible arrival time for session
• –Range of boats available. Single hander dinghies (Pico’s, Toppers), double handers (Wayfarer, L2000) and Access 303.
• –Group go for a curry at the end of the session (something the staff would do and then invite others to join – eight or so people would join this meal)

Outcome of the session:

• –The weekly session became popular very quickly.By the final session sixty new individual sailors were registered.
• –An average of twenty sailors attended the weekly sessions each Thursday.
• –The sailors were a mix of male and female.

Follow on:

• –Linked to Saturday sailing session and the planned winter racing series
• –Encouraged to undertake training courses

Cost of sessions

• –Annual membership for the Centre £50
• –Members session fee £5
• –Non–members session fee £10

Duration:

May through summer period, Thursday evenings 6.30 – 8pm