Trentham Lake previously had a rowing club which moved to Rudyard Lake in 1989 after Trentham Lake was affected by subsidence and emptied overnight. Efforts to get a new rowing club established began in 2002 with Project Oarsome, when coaches took static rowing machines, commonly found in gyms, into schools. From there, children were then encouraged to try out their skills on the lake itself.

Trentham Boat Club was founded in 2004 and Trentham Canoe Club in 2006. These two clubs, along with Eccleshall Scouts and Staffordshire University Rowing Club formed Trentham Watersports Association (TWA). The combined clubs are now thriving, with members from across both the Staffordshire and Cheshire areas.

In 2009 the new £350,000 boathouse was opened by world champion marathon canoeist Anna Hemmings. Anna, who has won nine World and European gold medals, viewed the facilities before cutting the ribbon in an official opening ceremony.

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The building replaces an old shed at the other end of the lake which was no longer fit for purpose. The boathouse now caters for a range of clubs, including Trentham Canoe Club, Trentham Boat Club and Eccleshall Scouts. The building itself was mainly funded by a £346,000 grant from Sport England.

Over the past year TCC has been incredibly competitive in several disciplines. Marathon and Sprint events have been dominated by TCC with a series of medals and promotions for the majority of all paddlers taking part. TCC continues to have a very strong racing section travelling across the region to many different events and competitions.

In April 2009, TCC recieved a visit from Lord Sebastian Coe and the 2012 Olympic Committee. He was given a full tour of our facilites and spent time talking to all of our paddlers about how important paddling was to them.

The first Trentham Canoe Polo team was formed in June 2010 and went on to win the Investment League Title in the National Canoe Polo Championships.

The team of hard working volunteer coaches continue to inspire people of all ages to take up kayaking and canoeing.

….. and you could be a part of it.

Ruth Holdway was an inspirational figure, a brilliant water sports coach and the main driving force behind Trentham Canoe Club. She sadly passed away in a tragic hiking accident whilst on holiday in Madeira in 2009.

Ruth was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 23 and so started her crusade of fundraising and general awareness of cancer charities. Despite this she continued to canoe throughout Europe ranking in the top 50 female slalom paddlers in the UK.

In 2004, she raised £15,000 for three cancer charities by organising a world record 24-hour canoe polo match. Two years later, she helped to set up Trentham Canoe Club (TCC).

At the 2007 City of Stoke-on-Trent Sports Personality of the Year Awards, Ruth collected the Sport in the Community award on behalf of the Trentham Watersports Association. She went on to receive the Professional Community Coach award at the Canoe England Volunteer Awards.

Ruth helped to introduce hundreds of people of all ages, including many disabled, to canoeing and helped raise £350,000 for a new boathouse.

Ruth was a fantastic coach, mentor and close friend to many paddlers who came to kayak at Trentham and she is greatly missed. Her wonderful legacy of assisting in the formation of TCC has been left behind and we endeavour in her honour to keep up the hard work she started.