Rotary Club of Newark Castle & 4As (Adventure Activities for All Abilities) Kayaking Club

As Rotary Club we are actively looking for charities/good causes to support but how did this unlikely partnership begin?  It quite simply started with a message that was received via the Club Facebook page requesting assistance with the purchase of a rehabilitation running machine as theirs was is beyond repair. 

This was picked up by Rotarian Andy Fereday who thought it may be of interest.  Having done a little research he contacted Lisa Hage who had made the initial contact for some background on the 4As and what they were about.  Briefly she informed us that “they are a Newark based club for people with physical and learning impairments, offering opportunities for all abilities to become active through sport and for their parents/carers to meet in a social, friendly and welcoming environment”.

As the Club is always looking to support local charities/good causes and especially ones that support individuals who face additional challenges in life it seemed very much to fit the bill for us.  Once Andy had put together the relevant information he approached Jayne Mason, the current Club President, to see if she thought it was something that the Club could contribute to, which she did.

The proposal to support the 4As, either on part or whole, was added to the agenda for our next Business Meeting. Additionally, representatives from the 4As were invited to come along to that meeting to speak to the Club about their organisation, their members, activities, past history, plans for the future etc. Our meeting on 22nd October was well attended by our members who received an excellent presentation from Lisa Hage, Paul and Julie Gray, the original founder of the 4As.

We are pleased to say that following the Business Meeting and presentation from 4As the Club decided unanimously to purchase the rehabilitation running machine outright. The even better news is that following the meeting on 22nd October 2024 the Club organised the purchase, delivery and installation of the new equipment and had it up and running by 11th November 2024.

We subsequently received an invitation to attend a 4As training session to see for ourselves the new equipment in action. This was arranged for Saturday 30^th November and attended by Jayne Mason, Club President, Mac Mallard, President Elect, plus Rotarians Gill Lee and Andy Fereday.  

It was wonderful morning and we had the opportunity to meet up again with Julie, Lisa and Paul again along with a number of members of the Club who very ably demonstrated their training equipment, both new and old, a number of their coaches and parents (see the photographs below). The whole morning was rounded off with tea, coffee and home-made biscuits courtesy of Julie.

For those who do not know of or about the 4As below is the brief statement we initially received regarding who they are and what they do.

"We are a Newark based club for people with physical and learning impairments, offering opportunities for all abilities to become active through sport and for their parents/carers to meet in a social, friendly and welcoming environment. The club was formed approximately 35 years ago by Julie Gray, who is a retired paediatric physiotherapist. Julie has recently been awarded an MBE for services to young people with impairments.

During the summer 4A's offer taster sessions in canoe and kayak for ages 8 and over, which supports our core activity of Paddle-Ability flat water kayak racing at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham. Once paddlers become more competent, they can become a member of the racing team, meeting up to three times a week for either gym or water training sessions. Currently, our racing members range from 10 to 31 years old and are supported by two qualified coaches.

4A's continue to offer support during the winter by holding fun indoor activities, including boccia, new age curling and tabletop games, as well as social events such as our annual Christmas meal.

Our achievements have been recognised over the years by Newark and Sherwood Sports Awards - winning Junior Team of the Year and Junior Disabled Sportsperson. We were also awarded the British Canoeing Impact on Equality and Diversity Award in 2019.

Due to the physical impairments of some members, we require a specific rehabilitation running machine to ensure that it is accessible by all."

The pictures below are those taken at the recent training session where the new treadmill was officially unveiled, including Rotarian Andy being put through his paces by Julie from the 4As.