2025 dates for paddleboarders with an eye on nature, skills & community
Published on 15 Jan 2025, do add suggestions in the comments and I'll keep adding them to this date list. Have a great year & pls do share. Thanks.
If you’re dreaming up paddleboard plans for the new year, or just live in hope that politicians will find ways to tackle climate change then these dates might be useful. Sometimes a nudge to your MP can make all the difference. If you’re not sure who your MP is then put your postcode into this (they work for you) website
13-17 January 2025
Canal and River Trust Week run by Canal and River Trust which needs help to look after 2,000 miles of canals.
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/
24 January 2025
Climate and Nature Bill has a 2nd reading in the House of Commons. This began as a private members bill. Its goal is to give the Secretary of State climate and nature targets. If you think this is important then contact your MP and suggest they turn up and vote for the bill. https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3776/stages/19018
24-26 January 2025
Big Garden Birdwatch
Register, sit quietly on your paddleboard and take a note of what you see. It’s a great way to improve your birding skills.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch
8 March 2025
International Women’s Day – an opportunity to get more girls and women out on the water. A chance to get the sisterhood together for a paddle or summer paddle plans or even some safety training. Sometimes organising an event on a different day to international women’s day might ensure you get more attendees as there will be less competition. In 2024 my two favourite women-focus paddling events included training at Lee Valley White Water Centre, near Waltham Cross (outer London) in May and a fabulous #ShePaddles weekender at Mersea Boating Lake on Mersea Island in July.
28 – 30 March
Big Spring Clean organised by Plastic Free Communities
12 April
SUP12 and SUP6 endurance races at Torbay run by Brendan Prince, lots of info here. Now in its third year.
26 April 2025
Race to the Castle - a 40km paddleboard from Nottingham to Newark.
https://www.race2thecastle.com/
May 2025
Invasive species week
In 2024 I enjoyed a couple of outings with the Canal & River Trust in collaboration with Paddle UK to remove floating pennywort from the River Lee. Many hands make this huge task much easier.
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/
10 May 2025
The Paddle Skedaddle for an endurance paddle sprint race in Norfolk
insta @the_paddle_skedaddle
24 May -8 June 2025
The #BigPaddleCleanUp run by Paddle UK. Always involves 1000s of people.
https://paddleuk.org.uk/the-big-paddle-clean-up-returns-for-2025/
30 May-8 June 2025
London Rivers Week - plus it’s 21 years since the Thames 21 charity was set up. Lots more dates, info and sign-ups here.
14-21 June 2025
Drowning Prevention week. Recently I was about to video a young man at one of the clubs I belong to until I noticed his buoyancy aid wasn’t properly done up. I stopped shooting to ask him to do it up, but when he tried to zip it up he unbalanced and tumbled into the very cold water (5.6C as it was December). Luckily, I was beside him with my paddleboard, so able to help him on to this while a couple of other paddlers tipped the water out of his kayak. The lesson I learnt from this experience is that when it comes to dealing with water safety you need as much practice as possible. Nothing goes wrong when you know what to do and have the right kit.
The RNLI recommends knowing how to “float to live”. You need to tip your head back so your ears are in the water and then magically you float, but everyone floats in such different ways.
https://www.rlss.org.uk/pages/category/drowning-prevention-week-campaign
16-25 June 2025
Refugee Week. Did you know that the climate crisis and movement of humans have closer and closer links? If drought or storms wreck your food security and trigger conflict then there’s a high chance that you’ll relocate. In the UK where we still have a reasonably benign climate and if you have the option to be kind then Refugee Week is a chance to see what you can do to support people in extremely difficult circumstances. Moving home, being broke, having your life dreams (especially education and love) put on hold make life for refugees in the UK very challenging. This year’s Refugee Week theme is '“community as a superpower’, so if you have links with local groups who support refugees and you can offer a chance for a paddleboard (or kayak) to one or more refugees then do it! Here’s why: imagine never going on holiday, ever; having zero cash and then getting the chance to do something fun like a splash around on a paddleboard. You’d probably find it fun. Everyone needs a little fun. This film suggestion is from the organisers of Refugee Week.
The Swimmers - the true story about the Mardini sisters' journey from Syria to the 2012 Olympics (directed by Sally El Hosaini)
21-29 June 2025
Climate Action Week across Europe. As the world’s global temperature rises weather is becoming more severe. Over the past few years we’ve seen either on TV or in our own areas soaring heat (40C in July 2022) and extreme downpours that cause flooding and risk of death. Have you got a plan for coping with extreme heat, or extreme weather conditions?
23-25 June 2025
Here’s a great way to have a camp out (or a safe camper van trip) and enjoy a weekend with the girls, plus have a go at a lot of water activities. It’s time to book the #ShePaddles Weekender 2025 run at the amazing Mersea Boating Lake on Mersea Island, Essex. I absolutely loved this last year, see this post.
More info and how to book for 2025 on Facebook
24-28 August 2025
World Water Week
https://awareness-days.co.uk/awareness-day/world-water-week/2025-08-24
September 2025
This month should see the first teaching of the Natural History GCSE, but plans for this new GCSE course may have stalled. See this update from the Wildlife Trusts https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/blog/jen-davis/natural-history-gcse
3 November 2025
One year ago today it was the Clean Water March through London. How much will have changed – will water companies still be releasing sewage into the UK’s waterways whenever it rains? Check to see if the much delayed 25km Thames Tideway super sewer is completed in 2025 and if this has made a big difference to the River Thames. See https://www.thameswater.co.uk/about-us/projects/thames-tideway-tunnel
10-21 November 2025
COP30 Climate Meeting
This is due to take place in Brazil for the first time. if you are looking for facts about the climate and info about how world leaders have promised to tackle it see the UN’s site, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
24-28 June 2026
Stand Up Paddling World Cup comes to Torbay. Hurray! See this BBC news article
