The Isle of Ely Rowing Club welcomed Royalty this week as part of an itinerary that included a celebratory event to mark the centenary of one of Cambridgeshire’s most well-known charities.
Champions of rural action and support, the Cambridgeshire Action for Communities in Rural England (ACRE) is this year celebrating 100 years of making a grassroots difference for the 280 villages across Cambridgeshire.
Accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Julie Spence, HRH The Duke of Gloucester visited the club in an itinerary including the Girton Town Charity.
The Duke was greeted by the club's co-founder and president Dr Derek Pickersgill, the club’s chair Teresa Aslett, chair of the trustees Dr Susan King, junior coordinator Dylan Schoeman and club captains Duncan McCulloch and Patrick Neininger.
During the visit, the Duke also met the assistant Principal of Ely College Jason Coe, president of the Rotary Club of Ely, Viv Doji and the Environment Agency's Ouse Washes Field Team Lead Rupert Wilson.
Junior boys’ and girls’ crews, men’s and women’s crews, adult learners and experienced crews of all ages and backgrounds showed off their skills before an informal chat with the Duke.
A short outing in a safety launch allowed the Duke see the river through the rower’s eyes, and gave a sense of the peace and respite from the everyday, as well as the intense competition that the sport of rowing lovers.
Evidence of the success of the visit came from the Lord Lieutenant’s cadet, Lucy Miles, who said she would be signing up for the club’s next learn-to-row course.
The Duke congratulated the club in bringing enthusiasm and skill to bear to make the club as effective as it could be, and wished the club many successes in the future.
RECOMMENDED READING: Duke of Gloucester visits St Mary's Church in Ely to celebrate rural charity
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