An Olympic rowing boat has officially made its home on the River Medway, thanks to a grant from the Rochester Bridge Trust.
The boat, a coxless racing four, was purchased thanks to a grant of £21,140 from the Trust.
Martin Miller, Chairman of Medway Towns Rowing Club, said: “We are hugely excited to have received our new boat – direct from use in the Paris Olympics – which was only possible with the support of the Rochester Bridge Trust. This boat is a very welcome addition to the club and will give us the capacity we need for the future.
“We are a community rowing club and offer equipment and coaching for all in the local community, from our learn-to-row courses for beginners of all ages, to our growing junior programme and our older masters rowers who compete internationally. We can only continue to support the local community in this way thanks to the Trust’s generosity.”
The boat was officially launched on Sunday, 11 May, and was attended by dignitaries including Mayor of Medway Cllr Marian Nestorov and Mayoress Cllr Liubov Nestorova, and local MP Lauren Edwards.
Russell Cooper, Junior Warden of the Rochester Bridge Trust, was pleased to name the vessel Rochester Bridge, and wished her well for many journeys up to and under the structure she is named after.
For more information about about grants from the Rochester Bridge Trust see www.rbt.org.uk/grants
