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Albany Outdoors

Water Sports and Outdoors Activity at Albany Outdoors

Jerry Scott Maber talks to us about Albany Outdoors – an outdoor water activities centre on the Thames in Kingston

Jerry tell us about Albany Outdoors and how the centre works.

Albany Outdoors is the go-to water sports and outdoors activity centre in Kingston. Located on the banks of the Thames, Albany’s qualified and experienced coaches provide the local community the very best safe and exciting water sports activities.

The centre is a hive of activity offering family canoe adventure trips, school holiday camps, kayaking and sailing courses.

As part of ‘Achieving for Children’ we are a not-for-profit organisation and everything we make goes back into serving young people in the borough.

What is your background and experience?

Albany has been serving the Kingston community for over 20 years. We have a team of highly qualified staff who are dedicated to engaging people of all ages from six to 60 years. We are passionate about water sports and our mission is to inspire our clients, give them access to the river and introduce local people to water sports. It’s all about experiencing the great outdoors and making the most of the river.

We are proud to say that our centre gives our community the opportunity to relax, learn new skills, meet new people and connect to the great outdoors.

All our coaches have national governing body qualifications. We are incredibly proud of our centre and our amazing team. It’s a very special place to work and we are lucky enough to have some of the best young sports people amongst our coaches. We have national junior marathon competitors, European K2/K4 training camps, national level slalom competitors, junior GB dragon boat team members, and the team we took from Kingston last year to the London Youth games, who won three golds a sliver and a team silver medal.

The centre is run by Jerry Russ and Gemma who between them have over 50 years of coaching experience. They live and breathe water sports, Jerry even lives on the river and calls a narrow boat in Thames Ditton home.

The centre is about inclusivity and people of all ages and abilities are made to feel welcome.

How can children and adults get involved?

This year we want to open up to more local people and we have lots going on for children and families:

  • After school paddlers (kayaks, canoes, paddle boards)
  • Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) in the evenings for adults and children
  • Family paddlers on Saturday afternoons
  • Paddle sports birthday parties
  • School holiday camps

For adults we offer:

  • Dragon boat fund and training
  • Adult paddler clubs
  • Stand up paddle board river trips
  • 1:1 coaching
  • Corporate training and team building days

What are the benefits you see of the activities you offer to young and old?

We see the benefits of engaging with outside activity every day. Here’s what our clients say about us:

“Albany is amazing, kayaking on a Saturday afternoon gives us precious time together, space to breathe and fresh air.”
Claire – Family Paddlers

“I commute to London every day and spend too much time looking at screens. SUP Club on Thursdays gives me time to be outside, time to be in the moment and surrounded by nature.”
Tim – Stand Up Paddler Club

“Albany Summer Club is the best. I make new friends, we get wet and the coach is really funny.”
Harry age 12 – Holiday Camps.

Albany Outdoors
020 8547 6368
albanyoutdoors@achievingforchildren.org.uk