ABOUT US
OUR CHARITY
Comprehensive engagement in the sport of rowing can help young people develop important life skills including teamwork, focus, resilience, learning through coaching, and appreciating the link between effort and success.
It encourages positive lifelong habits beneficial to physical and mental health through exercise and nutritious diet. Our program also teaches water safety and swimming.
Evidence suggests that students actively engaged in sport achieve on average better academic results at school.(1)
Our mission is simply to bring all the joys and benefits of the sport of rowing to school children who would not normally have access to it because of financial or social circumstances.
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Evidence Paper – The Link Between Physical Activity and Attainment in Children and Young People, March 2022 https://www.youthsporttrust.org/media/zyyo133r/pe-and-attainment-evidence-paper-january-2022.pdf
OUR TRUSTEES
STEPHEN PEEL
CHAIR OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Stephen Peel is a businessman who divides his time between growth investing in the renewable energy and healthcare sectors, and non-for-profit activities. He spent much of his career in the international private equity industry. Besides Infinity Boat Club, he chairs the Tujenge Africa Foundation, co-chairs the UK group on the Trilateral Commission and is on the Advisory Board of the Jackson School of Global Affairs at Yale.
Starting rowing at school at the age of 13, nine years later Stephen was in Olympic final in the men’s heavyweight coxless four. He rowed for Cambridge University in three boat races, for Great Britain in three world championships, won two championship events at Henley and gained a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games. He was also an active coach including the finishing coach for Downing College in 1990 and the Cambridge University Men’s Boat Race crew in 1991. After a 30-year break from rowing, he is now a masters rower at the Crabtree Boat Club.
Stephen strongly believes in the power of sport to transform young people’s lives and champions social mobility and the broadening of opportunity to all children.
JAKE TOMPKINS
TRUSTEE
Jake has spent most of his 25-year career in the offshore energy sector, building businesses which specialise in subsea construction, robotics, and autonomous vehicles. Since 2020 his focus has moved to the broader area of the Blue Economy, primarily in deep-tech and clean-tech, where he now helps to launch start-ups and assist early stage and high growth potential companies. In addition to being involved in the Infinity Boat Club, he has held several executive and non-executive board roles in the private, public and third sectors.
Jake has lived and worked in the Tees Valley most of his life and is committed to the success of the region and its people. Jake is an active rower and member of Tees Rowing Club.
SALLY CORANDER
TRUSTEE
Sally Corander is Founder of social impact agency, Interact, and sits on the Board of its UK and UAE companies. She founded Interact in the UAE in 2014 with a vision to builder a healthier and more active generation. She has worked with senior stakeholders in Government and big brands to implement large scale health and well-being projects in the UK and Middle East.
Sally is extremely passionate and motivated to change young lives through physical activity and sport, especially tackling inequalities and helping communities who would not otherwise have the opportunity.
Sally worked together with Stephen Peel to create the initial concept and select the location for Infinity Boat Club.
Alongside Interact and Infinity Boat Club, Sally sits on the Board of Trustees for Love Rowing – British Rowing’s Charitable Foundation which creates inclusive rowing initiatives across the UK.
Before joining Love Rowing in 2021, Sally had not set foot in a rowing boat. But after visiting many Love Rowing projects across the UK and trying the sport herself (even in the winter!), she has seen just how beneficial the sport can be and strongly believes it should be open to more young people.
JOSH BUTLER
TRUSTEE
I discovered the sport of rowing as a junior in Bedford. My club had only a handful of athletes, and in no time, I’d fallen in love with the single and the sport in general. At 17, my decision to move to London was an easy one, and over the last 16 years, my experience, knowledge, and passion for the sport have only grown. Over this time, I’ve raced at Henley Royal Regatta 12 times, eventually winning the Wyfold Challenge Cup. I’ve trialled for both the British and New Zealand national teams and feel honoured to have raced at Youth Olympics and Under 23s. I’ve experienced national team training programmes in two of the world’s strongest rowing countries and have been coached by some of the most respected names in the business, including Ian Wright, Bill Mason, Pauls Reedy and Steve Trapmore. However, my proudest moments have come not from competing myself but from helping others unlock their potential.
I spent my first 7 years in London working alongside Bill Mason who proved to be an incredible mentor until his retirement in 2015. I then took over as head coach and feel privileged to have seen Westminster School take home multiple national titles during this time. I’ve helped more than 20 athletes achieve their goal of attending an Ivy League university, and a further 20 in their mission to represent their country on the world stage.
KATE O’SULLIVAN
TRUSTEE
Kate’s passion is working with individuals, teams and organisations to achieve their aspirations and ambitions. She draws upon her 38 years of operational and leadership experience within the Sports, Higher Education, Engineering, Chemicals and volunteering sectors, to help those she works with to develop and implement strategic plans to move from where they are today to where they aspire to go. Kate established her own company in 2016 and frequently facilitates CMI and ILM level 7 programmes in a range of subjects for Salford University.
Kate took up rowing at Leeds University, and has been a member of Tees Rowing Club since 1985. She was the first woman to hold the positions of Captain and President of the club, and was the Regatta Chair for Tees Regatta for 25 years. She is a British Rowing Coach Educator, chaired the British Rowing National Coaching Committee between 2006 and 2017. In 2017 she was elected as the Deputy Chair of British Rowing. She has been the Head Coach of the Tees Rowing club Junior Section and Teesside University Boat Club since 2016.
Kate passionately believes in the power of sport to build bridges across communities and to give all the chance to achieve their full potential in life. She was honoured to be awarded a British Empire Medal in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to Rowing.
KATHERINE MACK
TRUSTEE
Katherine Mack (nee Copeland) is a rowing coach, leadership consultant and former elite rower.
Katherine started rowing at the age of 14 on the river Tees, and trained at Tees Rowing Club before being selected to represent Great Britain in 2012. Katherine competed at the London and Rio Olympic Games and is an Olympic champion, European champion, multiple world cup gold medallist, three-time world record holder and world championship medallist in the lightweight double sculls event.
Katherine believes that rowing can provide a multitude of positive developmental experiences and transferrable skills to young people, and that Stockton-on-Tees and the surrounding areas have so much untapped talent that needs the right support and opportunities to come to light.
Since retiring as an athlete, Katherine has coached juniors and U23s at Headington School BC and Leander Club, as well as taking the transferrable lessons from sport to Deloitte to work with C Suite leaders as part of their consulting team.
Our Supporters
The Infinity Boat Club is generously supported by:
The Peel family
JT Atkinson
www.jtatkinson.co.uk
Our Partners
Tees Rowing Club
www.teesrowingclub.co.uk
Love Rowing
www.loverowing.org
Our Schools
SAFETY
The safety of our participants is central to everything we do. We will always ensure that both the facilities and equipment are in full working order and all training session can be run in a safe environment with appropriate supervision. We also require that everyone who joins as a member has passed an on-water assessment so we can be sure that the highest standards are maintained.
Our Club Water Safety Advisor is Keith Brown. He can be contacted on: [email protected]
Our Child Welfare Officer is Michelle Holdsworth. She can be contacted on [email protected]
IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY OR ISSUE
- Life Threatening Emergency – Call 999 for police/fire/ambulance/coast guard
- Non-Emergency Tees River Rescue – 01642 918321
If you do see or have an incident on the water this will need to be reported to British Rowing using the Incident Reporting Form
Safeguarding Statement
Infinity Boat Club believes that children’s welfare is paramount and fully adopts and abides by the British Rowing Safeguarding and Child Protection and welfare policies. We believe that respect and understanding amongst members, coaches, club officials, parents and guardians associated with our club for our Junior members’ safety and welfare are evident at all times.
Infinity Boat Club is committed to:-
- Enabling everyone whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity to participate in rowing in a fun and safe environment.
Recognising that children and families from minority group backgrounds may face additional barriers to accessing help and reporting concerns in respect of safeguarding issues. - Taking all reasonable steps to protect children from harm, discrimination and degrading treatment and to respect their rights, wishes and feelings.
- Taking seriously all suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse and responding swiftly and appropriately to them in accordance with current procedures.
- Ensuring that all adults who work with young athletes, including our coaches and volunteers are recruited with regard to their suitability for that responsibility; receive guidance and/or training in best practice and child protection procedures and are subject to checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service at the enhanced level.
If a child is at immediate risk, contact the Police on 999 or Stockton Borough Council Emergency Duty Team on 01642 524552