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We’re experiencing the impacts of climate change more than ever before. By becoming more environmentally sustainable, every club and community organisation can play a part in helping to limit the effects of climate change.

Based along the River Avon, Stratford-upon-Avon Boat Club (SuABC) have seen first-hand the impact that climate change can have on community sport and activity.
 

Rising water levels and extreme weather conditions have affected the club’s ability to run sessions and has caused damaged to their clubhouse, while other local clubs have had to cancel events and competitions.

Deciding to take action, the club have responded by implementing some changes to their operations and behaviours, to become more environmentally sustainable. We caught up with them to find out more.

A hand holding a piece of paper with water test results in front of rowing boats on a river.

About SuABC

Run by a dedicated team of volunteers, the club have over 250 members and provide activities for juniors, men and women (of all ages), and adaptive rowing sessions.

As a community amateur sports club, SuABC reinvest any income they generate back into the club to deliver and develop their offer, and repair or improve their facilities.

This commitment means that there’s a limited budget for other initiatives, such as becoming more environmentally sustainable.

But this hasn’t stopped them. They’ve begun to demonstrate their commitment by making a number of low- and no-cost changes to the way they do things.

Establishing a sustainability working group

SuABC formed a sustainability working group. The group is made up of a cross-section of members who are passionate about their club and the environment. Having representation across the club gives everyone the opportunity to be involved and take action.

The group is tasked with exploring sustainability issues and making small changes that can make a big difference. The group helps to ensure that environmental sustainability is regularly discussed at all levels of the club and becomes embedded into their operations.

A whiteboard filled with Post It notes containing ideas on environmental sustainability.

Engaging members and raising awareness

The club want every member to take responsibility and contribute towards making a difference. As a starting point, the sustainability working group created a survey for members to collect their views on the impact of climate change on the river and their sport.

To raise awareness of the actions being taken, regular communications go out via email and posters are added to a dedicated noticeboard. Suggestions and initiatives are welcomed by the group, and everyone is encouraged to get involved in conversations and take action. 

They’ve also worked with partners to provide free educational opportunities, including:

  • Hosting the Severn Trent River Rangers, who demonstrated the process of water quality testing and discussed how the club could support their water improvement plan.
  • Asking members to support a British Rowing initiative by responding to a survey on the impact of climate change on their participation.
  • Joining in with national and local environmental sustainability campaigns.

The sustainability working group has run workshops for juniors, recognising that they’re the future of the club, and that climate change will impact on their ability to participate in years to come.

These workshops raised awareness and gathered ideas on ways to make the club more sustainable and helped to create buy-in and a sense of ownership from their younger members.

Small quick wins

After gathering and reviewing suggestions from members, the sustainability working group were able to identify several small and easy-to-action initiatives. These included:

Nature

  • Not using washing-up liquid to clean boats, as it’s harmful to wildlife, and switching to more sustainable cleaning products.
     
  • Creating a biodiversity area in front of their clubhouse with guidance from a local wildlife-friendly garden designer, with bee-friendly plants donated by members. Members are encouraged to help maintain the garden, with one member handcrafting a wooden sign.
A bee-friendly planted area outside a cafe.

Transport

  • Encouraging active travel by promoting cycle storage.
  • Encouraging and facilitating lift-sharing among members and volunteers.

Events

  • Choosing prizes and medals made from recycled materials.
  • Providing reusable cups.
  • Not buying single-use plastic.
  • Sourcing local and homemade food and refreshments.
  • Organising litter-picking by the junior section after events.

Wasting less

  • Using reusable tableware and encouraging members to bring and re-fill their water bottles.
  • Separating food waste from general rubbish and recycling.
  • Setting up a monthly resale scheme of any unclaimed lost kit to reduce waste, gain income from sales, and enable their members to purchase kit at reduced costs.
A sign on a field reading 'The Big Avon Clean-up'.

What's next?

SuABC are committed to doing more and are planning to:

  • Regularly test their waterways; they’re looking at how they can get testing kits donated or work with local partners to provide these.
     
  • Create a dedicated space on their website for environmental sustainability to showcase what they’re doing and signpost people to support resources.
     
  • Provide further educational opportunities for members and volunteers, including a visit to a refuse centre learn about recycling.
     
  • Support local nature by installing bird and bat boxes.
     
  • Identify and apply for funding to help improve their energy use to make operations more sustainable and reduce running costs.
     
  • Improve their cycle storage area by increasing capacity, accessibility and security.
     
  • Seek specialist advice and funding for flood defences.

Top tips

Drawing on their experience, SuABC shared their top tips for other organisations looking to be more environmentally sustainable, including:

If you don't know where to start, carry out some research and see what others are doing. If you have a national governing body (NGB), see if they have an environmental sustainability strategy or plan; if not, check out other NGBs who do, such as the LTA. Engage with local climate and nature groups who can share their expertise. Or contact your local council’s climate change team, your local Wildlife Trust, or other local businesses or organisations.
Encourage your members and volunteers to join in conversations and put forward ideas. When you receive ideas, be sure to keep a list, as sometimes it takes time to develop an initiative.
Build a team to lead on this work to help ensure environmental sustainability is an important topic for your group.
Share your progress regularly so people know what you’re doing and can get involved.
Little changes really can make a difference, and they can often be delivered at no or low cost.
Start small and collect evidence of what you do, as this may help you to get funding to support further initiatives.
Use every opportunity to have a conversation about climate change and the environment.