As well as offering RYA training courses at GTSC, the club is famous also for the innovative Youth Club sessions that usually run from after Easter until the school summer holidays. Held on  Friday evenings starting at 5p.m. a professional coach trains youngsters who are approaching their 11th birthday or older and who can already sail but who want to develop their sailing skills and confidence, so that they become accomplished sailors in both single and double handed boats.

Training ultimately focuses on the annual  Thames Challenge, a team racing event that GTSC initiated with the former Black Swan SC in 2008. Now a major fixture, the event held towards the end of June matches experienced sailors with less experienced sailors who together compete in a double handed Team Racing event that combines sailing skills with challenging tactical sailing.

Since each Youth Club session culminates with a supper, there’s small wonder that Youth Club is a really popular event that up-skills youngsters into budding pros to be proud of.

There is a programme of events organised for juniors (under 16) who have their own notice board and junior snug. Suggestions for junior activities are always welcome.

Upcoming Junior Events

The Club has a Junior Development Officer, Rob Jones, who is responsible for organising Junior Activities.

Mark Foster is responsible for Child Protection and should be contacted with any concerns or queries. The Club has an established Child Protection Policy and will take all reasonable steps to ensure that children can partake in club activities in a safe environment.

GTSC’s Policy Statement on Child Protection

• The child’s welfare is paramount. GTSC will take all reasonable steps to ensure through appropriate procedures and training, so that children can partake in club activities in a safe environment.
• All children whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity, etc. have the right to protection from abuse
• All suspicions and allegations of inappropriate behaviour will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
• As defined in the Children’s Act 1989, anyone under the age of 18 years should be considered as a child for the purposes of this document
• It is recognised that some adults may also be vulnerable and require similar protection.

References to Children shall also be deemed to include vulnerable adults.

The policy relates to everyone involved with club activities and will be kept under periodic review.

Juniors must be adequately supervised by a responsible adult at all times when on the club premises.

·         Life jackets should be worn when young children are on the frontage.
·         Do not allow children to play on the bank at the back of the grounds.
·         No ball games are allowed at any time.
·         Juniors must wear buoyancy aids when on a dinghy, raft, canoe or other boat.
·         Juniors should also be encouraged to wear buoyancy aids when swimming, bearing in mind the risks posed by other river craft.

Club buoyancy aids are available to use, for Juniors and adults, these are stored in the disabled toilet in the Club house.  These should be returned after use and hung up so that they dry.