Southport Pleasureland owner Norman Wallis has stepped in to save an historic local rowing club.
Mr Wallis met with Southport Rowing Club after learning the organisation had been left homeless and with nowhere to safely store its boats.
The club serves between 25 and 30 members who row the town’s Marine Lake twice weekly, but has been struggling to find alternative accommodation lakeside.
Mr Wallis was quick to offer secure storage rather than see an important sport and leisure amenity defeated. He went further and offered the space as a goodwill gesture.
He said: “The club is an asset for the town and there is growing interest in expanding its remit – giving young people the opportunity to learn and enjoy a unique and rewarding skill. The park was happy to help.”
Club chairman, Andy O’Shea, said: “If it wasn’t for Norman Wallis, we wouldn’t be rowing now and we wouldn’t have a club. He was kind enough to waive any fee, so instead members contribute to make donations to the charities he supports.
“Southport Rowing Club is more than 60 years old and the men and women who row there have been based at Marine Lake for the last 40.”
Supported by the sport’s governing body, British Rowing, the Southport body is still searching for somewhere to serve as a permanent clubhouse with storage.
Mr O’Shea and other club committee members have met with a number of interested educational organisations who would like to add rowing to their curriculum. He said rowers’ representatives had also met with Sefton Council and the town’s MP.
He said: “We were hoping Sefton Council, which owns all land around the lake and manages leases, would consider supporting this popular club, which is attracting growing interest, by making long-term space available and ensure its future.”
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