Preparations in full swing for Spalding Celebrate the River Day

Preparations are in full swing for a river day – which organisers hope will open up a ‘realm’ of opportunities for the town.

Spalding councillor James Le Sage is urging people to come out and celebrate the town’s most attractive assets - the River Welland - during the event on Sunday, June 8.

So far the event has received a positive response from water sports enthusiasts - but organisers are hoping that families and residents will also turn out in force.

The event aims to be a spectacle to show off the riverside and paint Spalding in a better light, building on the work of the recent Spalding Reconnected project and the addition of new benches near the South Holland Centre.

Coun Le Sage said: “Preparations are all in order for the river day and we’re hopefully going to have a great time.

“The event is all about showing people how good it could be if we had more traffic on the water.

“If we improve access to the River Welland and potentially the Coronation Channel, we will open up a whole new realm of opportunities and it will hopefully bring more people to the town.

“We’re going to prove it is a great amenity and asset of the town and we should be using it more”.

A flotilla of vessels will set sail from the Welland Yacht Club at 12pm on a parade along the waterway to the Moorings pub.

Those with canoes, paddle boards and kayaks are encouraged to get involved.

Jeff Woods, aka Pavanotti, will perform sea shanties and other water-themed songs. The RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) and Anglian Water are also set to offer their advice and expertise on river safety and more.

Refreshments and food will be on offer at the Mornings pub – sponsored by Sedge Estate Agents.

The flotilla will return to the yacht club at about 4pm.

Organisers hope the event will become an annual celebration with room to incorporate other activities such as a raft race and duck race in the future.

James added: “It’s an event which could escalate and become bigger.

“We have had lots of interest so far and we’re hoping to see between 30 and 60 people going down the river.

“Presuming it goes well, we can build it up each year.”

The yacht club will also be having an open day alongside the event, where visitors can try their hand at sailing.

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