Timeline

September 1, 2026

The IBCPC France festival experience.

Training First day of racing. Opening ceremony and Parade of Nations ...more

August 29, 2026

IBCPC France videos

Paddlers for Life Windermere Heat 23. They are in lane 4. Paddlers for Life Windermere Final race. They are in lane 2. more

August 28, 2026

Training and Parade of Nations IBCPC France.

The team had training opportunities earlier in the week. A key event is the Parade of Nations and the opening ceremony. Over 4000 teams from across the world participate and Annecy gave the teams a great welcome. Then a chance to meet with with other participants and their ...more

August 24, 2026

IBCPC France festival Live Stream

Use this live stream link to watch the Paddlers for Life Windermere participate in the 500 metre on Friday 28th August and 200 metre heats on Saturday 29th. August. These times are Central European Time. UK times are one hour earlier.500m races Friday 28th AugustRound 1Heat 24 Marshalling 10:28 European Time 09.28 ...more

August 2, 2026

August paddle.

A good day of paddling with all the boats on the water and the team members going to France getting into team mode.We had visitors from Pool of Life in Liverpool helming and paddling. Photos from the afternoon session. more

July 19, 2026

Headway South Cumbria visit.

We hosted visitors from Headway South Cumbria in gorgeous sunshine and calm conditions. Views of the surrounding fells from Windermere were gorgeous. Occasional swell from the wakes of other lake users made for some exciting moments but everyone had a great afternoon paddle. ...more

July 11, 2026

Paddlers for Life Windermere at the Kendal Rotary Club dragon boat regatta at Windermere Lakeside.

Paddlers for Life Windermere were with Kendal Rotary Club at the Windermere Regatta Dragon Boat event which was raising funds for YMCA Lakeside. Six local teams participated with good humour and enthusiasm in this event which was a first time paddling for some teams. The weather was gorgeous and the event was well ...more

June 7, 2026

'Dotting the eyes' of our dragons.

This tradition recalls the origins of dragon boat paddling as a ceremonial event in China. Many modern teams acknowledge these traditions especially within the breast cancer survivor dragon boat family of teams. Paddlers for Life Windermere also chose this moment to acknowledge the support of family members and ...more

May 25, 2026

A fantastic day of paddling and coaching.

A coaching session to prepare some team members for the International Participatory Festival with the IBCPC dragon boat festival in Aix-les-Bains, France in August. Keni visited from the Serpees (Three River Serpents) in Durham for another great day of paddling in lovely conditions. We really appreciate and enjoy ...more

May 25, 2026

Paddling session with visitors Manchester Dragoneers

Some Manchester Dragoneers paddlers joined us for training. more

December 20, 2025

Eunice, a lovely team mate and wonderful friend and supporter of Paddlers for Life Windermere

Paddle in Pink Regular paddling Winter walk on the Lion and the Lamb Regular paddling Sarasota Festival. Dragon Bay Regatta Canada Festival Regular paddling. Regular paddling. Eye dotting Coffee Morning Canada Festival Dragon Bay Regatta. Regular paddling. Cheque presentation ...more

October 20, 2025

Our 2025 season ends with a flower ceremony.

Our season ends in October and we prepare our dragons for winter 'sleep' by closing their eyes.Barbara had prepared flowers for the ceremony and Sandra helped with decorating the drum and dragons with help from other paddlers. We assembled on the beach as paddlers took turns to paint the eyes of our dragons ...more

July 29, 2025

A wonderful donation from Carnforth Community Choir

The choir performed their summer concert choosing our charity to benefit from the proceeds. We are so thankful of their generous donation of £900. Gina, one of our members, sings in the choir and brought a cheque to a recent paddling session to present to Paddlers for Life. We aim to ensure access to all who ...more

July 19, 2025

Cross Bay walk fundraiser 2025

The forecast for Arnside was not optimistic with high chance of heavy rain and possible thunderstorms forecast. Fortunately we had only light rain for the first mile or so then dry, calm and warm conditions. Michael and Jo from Guide Over Sands Trust along with their tractor drivers and marshals led us on ...more

June 26, 2025

Another evening coaching session.

We gathered to give some hotel staff some coaching in dragon boat paddling as a team. They have an entry in the YMCA Lakeside dragon boat regatta on 12th. July 2025. Paddlers for Life will also have a team there. more

June 22, 2025

Solstice Paddle.

It has become a tradition that we do a long paddle the 10.5 mile length of Windermere around the summer solstice. Initially, in 2010 and 2011, we participated in an event organised by 'Windermere Canoe and Kayak' for any human powered craft. (See here). We paddled the length of Windermere and towed the dragon boats ...more

June 16, 2025

A great coaching session.

Keni visited from Three River Serpents (Serpees) in Durham to give us paddling tips as we get ready for the Bradford Dragon Boat Festival It's always good for experienced paddlers to be reminded of technique and helpful for newer paddlers to start to understand how to make the stroke efficient and effective. If you ...more

June 9, 2025

Dotting the dragons' eyes, 2025

This is done on the fifth day of the fifth Chinese lunar month and recalls the origins of traditional dragon boat ceremonies. Many thanks to Barbara and Sandra who had prepared flowers and other decorations for the the boats and dragon heads and led us through the ceremony. The ceremony ...more

May 29, 2025

Lovely publicity for our dragon boat paddling activities.

Julie collaborated with the editor at the Westmorland Gazette to publicise our dragon boat paddling activities for cancer survivors. Also welcome publicity for our Cross Bay Walk fundraiser with the support of Guide Over Sands. The walk is on the 19th. July, 2025 starting in Arnside at 12 noon. See what a fantastic ...more

January 26, 2025

Coffee Morning 2025

Our annual coffee morning fund raiser in Silverdale Gaskell Memorial Hall raised important funds for our breast cancer dragon boat team. The efforts of team members and supporters and the generosity of the Silverdale Community helped raise a grand total of £1622.48p with stalls, tombola, raffle, donations and refreshme...more

January 1, 2025

Happy New Year 2025

May 2025 bring everyone great paddling. We wish all your hopes are fulfilled and all the best for all you hold dear. Happy New Year to all our members and everyone who supports our activities. Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa host our boats and their staff are very helpful particularly at the water sports centre. ...more

October 6, 2024

A great coaching session.

Keni, our friend and coach from Three River Serpents, came over to give a mixed team of paddlers a really useful session. Paddling technique and timing were the focus of the season with emphasis on leaning into the stroke to get a good long reach as well as what stage in the stroke to get the paddle out of the water ...more

September 26, 2024

Visitor session.

We welcomed a group from McDonalds NW to a taster session to experience dragon boat paddling on Windermere. Several members helped with getting the boats ready to go onto the water. Other members drummed, helmed, acted as stroke pairs and supported in the rib. After a safety brief and warm up the visitors helped with ...more

September 10, 2024

September Paddle

More settled weather on Windermere with relatively calm water and warmer temperatures. Daniella, Michael and John helmed us to White Cross bay southwards on Windermere. Stephen and Howard watched over us from the support boat as we were occasionally rocked by swell from ferries and other lake users. ...more

July 13, 2024

Cross Morecambe Bay fund raiser.

What a fantastic experience walking with Guide over Sands Trust today. Ninety seven members, family and friends donated to our team and walked seven miles across the sands and mudflats of Morecambe Bay from Arnside to Grange-over-Sands. We were led by the King's Guide to the Sands, Michael Wilson, and safely looked ...more