Timeline

October 23, 2023

2023 Pink Paddle and flower ceremony.

Many paddlers gathered for our final paddle of the sixteenth season to promote October's breast cancer awareness. We also held a flower ceremony remembering those who no longer paddle with us and 'closed the eyes' of our 'dragons' for the winter. Both dragon boats, our V6 outrigger canoe and the support boat were ...more

June 25, 2023

Event 4 Harry's Heroes Solstice paddle.

In the past Paddlers for Life Windermere participated in a solstice paddle, for human powered craft, the the 10.5 mile length of Windermere. More recently we have arranged a weekend event to paddle to the southern end of Windermere and back with an overnight stay at the YMCA. This year we used this solstice ...more

June 5, 2023

2023 'dotting the eyes' ceremony.

Paddlers gathered for this traditional ceremony where the eyes of the dragon boat heads are painted with a dot of paint to represent the eyes opening. This is considered to awaken the spirit of the dragons and gain their protection. We like to invite members and supporters of our team to perform this task acknowledging ...more

May 1, 2023

Sixteenth season begins.

Paddlers for Life Windermere finally got to paddle our dragon boats as our sixteenth season of paddling on Windermere begins. We had prepared the boats and pontoon and trained new members but high water levels and low water temperatures delayed the beginning of our sixteenth paddling season. Our first paddle ...more

April 10, 2023

Paddlers for Life Windermere CIO workshop.

Some paddlers assembled at Ambleside Parish Centre to relaunch the charity under its new Charitable Incorporated Organisation registration. Workshop participants. It was an opportunity to look at the history and origins of our dragon boat team. Louisa started with the theme of the 'dragon' and what it means in ...more

January 26, 2023

Silverdale Coffee Morning fundraiser for Paddlers for Life Windermere.

A huge 'Thank You' to everyone who visited our Coffee Morning fund raiser in the Gaskell Memorial Hall in Silverdale. As always, the residents of Silverdale were very generous with their time and support. Many friends of Paddlers for Life in Silverdale helped with stalls and refreshments and the community came out in ...more

November 28, 2022

South Lakes paddlers walk.

A group of paddlers got together for a six mile walk in the South Lakes near Kendal. We were lucky to have dry and mild conditions with the sun trying to break through high cloud. We gathered at Sizergh to walk through their park and then through Brigsteer Woods eventually up onto Scout Scar before returning through ...more

November 13, 2022

Season 2022 sort out!

Paddler volunteers gathered for some end of season tasks. The garage needed a tidy-up, the pontoon needed dismantling and cleaning and the V6 outrigger prepared for the winter off season. The weather forecast was promising... ... but recent rainfall created a problem. The high lake level had flooded the ...more

October 24, 2022

Our 2022 paddling season ends with flowers.

Our plans for a 'pink paddle', raising breast cancer awareness, were cancelled due to forecast rain and wind gusts. October is breast cancer awareness month. Nevertheless, some paddlers gathered for a flower ceremony, and to close the eyes of our three dragon boat heads. Paddlers reflect on family, friends and ...more

August 26, 2022

An Aloha Experience: Paddlers for Life Windermere at the World Sprint Championships (IVFWS)

Paddlers for Life Windermere at the GB Outrigger Association 2022 International Va’a Federation World Sprint Championships (IVFWS), 7-16 August 2022, Dorney Lake, Windsor, Great Britain. Since Paddlers for Life breast cancer dragon boat team have an outrigger canoe (OC6), we have been enjoying the new challenge ...more

June 3, 2022

Platinum Jubilee 2022

Another paddling adventure. In 2012 two of our founder members Sue and Louisa had the vision for Paddlers for Life to participate in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee pageant on the Thames in London. Ten years later Louisa encouraged us all to remember this by paddling our dragon boats on Windermere as part of the 'Light ...more

May 29, 2022

'Eye-dotting' ceremony 2022.

We awaken our dragons with a traditional ceremony. It was wonderful to be able to get together in person again for an 'eye-dotting' ceremony. Paddlers for Life members participate in the 'eye dotting' ceremony. Louisa led the ceremony with help from Irene who told the story of the poet Qu Yuan and the origins ...more

May 7, 2022

Our team helps with the 5 do 5 Windermere challenge.

A fund raising challenge remembering a special friend. Lisa, Julie, Julie, Lynn, and Sarah have set themselves 5 challenges across and around Windermere which will include land and water based activities. It is in memory of a dear friend Amanda Wilson and aims to raise money for Blackwell Sailing, CancerCare North ...more

May 2, 2022

Ākala Susie naming ceremony.

Our V6 outrigger canoe is named. The V6 outrigger is named 'Ākala Susie' in fond remembrance of one of our team's founders, Sue Cogley. Ākala Susie also got her first outing of 2022 over two paddling sessions. Paddlers for Life members, experienced and newer, gathered for the ceremony. It was a damp and misty day ...more

April 17, 2022

Our OC6 is prepared for the naming ceremony.

Preparations for the upcoming naming ceremony of our OC6. Just about a year ago our OC6 Tahitian outrigger canoe arrived at Low Wood. The canoe  was the dream of a founder member of the team and is to be named 'Ākala Susie' in fond memory of her. The canoe has been cleaned by Rowena and Chris and also Chris has been ...more

April 12, 2022

Good participation in our first 2022 paddle.

It is wonderful to be paddling again. There was good attendance for the first paddle of our fifteenth season with three paddling sessions. There were several new members joining us to paddle with Roz giving the first safety talk along with some basic paddling instructions along with the paddling techniques. ...more

April 3, 2022

All hands on deck for our 2022 season start.

We prepare for the 2022 season. Today had two important tasks planned. One task was to train new members and remind more experienced paddlers of the many aspects to getting our dragon boats prepared for the water. Roz took everyone through naming different parts of the boat and how the boats are dressed with seat, drum, ...more

March 3, 2022

Ambleside well-being walk.

Ambleside well-being walk. 27th. February, 2022 What a great day for our walk with lovely sunshine and good company. Our walk started from Ambleside and covered six and a half miles taking us round Rydal Water and back along the 'coffin trail' via Rydal Hall. Fourteen paddlers took the opportunity to meet up prior to our ...more

February 1, 2022

Happy Chinese New Year 2022

Happy Chinese New Year to all our members and dragon boat paddlers everywhere. 2022 is the Year of the Tiger, characterised as being brave, competitive and confident. The element is water, kind, gentle, competent, and smart and is thought to bring  a confident and authoritative energy to all. Remember our Chinese ...more

January 16, 2022

Scout Scar winter well-being walk.

Great views on Scout Scar for Paddlers for Life walkers. Eighteen paddlers enjoyed spectacular views on Scout Scar near Kendal. The weather was kind to us providing wonderful views of Morecambe Bay and the Lake District Fells to the west with views overlooking the Lyth Valley. After snacks at Helsington Church to ...more

January 15, 2022

Congratulations Dr. Don McKenzie

Dr. Don McKenzie is honoured. Dr Don McKenzie, as we all know, the brain behind the exercise as medicine and global breast cancer dragon boat paddling movement, has been admitted to the Order of Canada,  “For his expertise in sports medicine and for his seminal research on the effectiveness of exercise as an interve...more

November 8, 2021

End of paddling season 2021

Putting the dragons to their winter sleep. A working party of members assembled at Low Wood water sports centre. First there were some end of season tasks. Dismantling. cleaning and stowing the pontoon They also de-rigged the OC6 outrigger and  turned the boat upside down to protect from winter rains. F...more

October 24, 2021

Flower ceremony 2021

Ending our 2021 season of paddling. We had planned our 'Pink Paddle' for breast cancer awareness month but the weather was not in our favour. So we gathered on the shore of Windermere for a flower ceremony and then for refreshments at a local cafe in Ambleside. One of our patrons, Eve, spoke of why we have the ...more

October 17, 2021

Paddle in Pink 2021

Paddle in Pink Inspiration In October for breast cancer awareness month we try to end our season with a 'Pink Paddle'. This is to raise awareness of our  activities in the local community and to promote breast cancer awareness. In the past we have had 'friendly' races with a team from English Lakes Hotels staff, ...more

September 19, 2021

Lucky paddlers.

Tour visiting Brathay, Wray Castle and back via White Cross Bay. We watched the rain as we warmed up in the garage and checked weather across a drizzly looking Windermere. However, once we were boarded and off across the water we experienced relatively calm conditions and stayed dry for our 1 hour 30 minute paddle ...more