Paddlers for Life Book Project

Project: History of Paddlers for Life in a Book.

This is the fourteenth paddling season for Paddlers for Life breast cancer survivor dragon boat team.

It is timely to look at how the team came into being, record its development over the years and look forward to what lies ahead as the team recruits new members.

A small group of members has been meeting over the early weeks and months of 2020 to try and shape what the book might look like in format and content. These members have tried to outline in their brief all the values, emotions, aspirations and benefits that being a team member brings.

It is hoped that the book reflects everything about being a member of Paddlers for Life in narrative, recollections, personal experiences and reflections, photo images and artwork, prose and poetry, recipes and whatever else seems pertinent in telling our story.

We want the book to portray the thoughts and experiences of all members established and newer, experienced and skill developing. We want the viewpoints of everyone telling their personal stories as well as describing the excitement and benefits of team membership.

Please do not be shy in offering whatever you can to the project. We will try and facilitate the process of book development in as many ways as we can so please look out for things you might do to contribute to the book.

It is time for a new paddling related theme for you to think about.

There are many ways to celebrate but there is one key aspect of celebration that seems to be at the centre of paddling activities, Celebrations and Festivals!
Share your story via any of our PfL social media platforms and here on the website.

So this week’s theme is: Celebrations and Festivals.

We would like you to remember a particular event or festival and tell us your memories of it. We would like to hear of the highlights and who you shared it with. Recall you feelings and emotions and why it stands out in your memory.

Was it in Canada at Peterborough, in the USA at Sarasota or more recently in Florence? We have visited Liverpool, Preston and Dublin for regattas and participated in Sheffield and Lytham. We have also hosted events at Low Wood.

We would love to hear about those ‘stand out’ moments such as a solstice paddle or Lancaster canal challenge or supporting charity fundraising with 5do5Windermere or Event for Harry’s Heroes.

Thanks a lot, The Book Group

The latest theme is: ‘Celebrations and Festivals’

You can still share your thoughts on the theme ‘Cake’ on this page here.

You can still share your thoughts on the theme ‘Off the water’ on this page here.

You can still share your thoughts on the theme ‘Place’ on this page here.

You can still share your thoughts on the theme ‘Dragon’ on this page here.

You can still share your thoughts on the theme ‘Celebrations and Festivals’ on this page here.

Purpose of the book.

To retell the story of Paddlers for Life Windermere as we move into our 13^th season in the second decade of the century.
To be informative, interesting and inspiring.
To capture the thoughts, memories and anecdotal comments from a wide range of people associated with PfL.

Audience

Our audience will be quite broad i.e. we want to appeal to several different groups such as:

Newcomers to Paddlers for Life.
Those who haven’t joined (yet) but wish to know what we’re about.
Older members/past members (including relatives/supporters) who want to reminisce.
Medical practitioners who want to find out more.
Other breast cancer survivor (BCS) paddling groups (worldwide).

For starters, here is a list of words which we think best reflect themes around the experience of paddling in a cancer survivor dragon boat team as either survivor or supporter.