One of our most successful sports clubs is this year celebrating its 40th anniversary. RUTH MANSFIELD looks back at the history of an organisation that started with just one man helping out at a youth club.

IN 1971, former teacher Alan Baker found himself helping youngsters make canoes and kayaks at a Croesyceiliog Secondary School youth club.

When the youngsters and their parents started trying their canoes and kayaks on local rivers, it became obvious to outdoor enthusiast Mr Baker that perhaps he could offer something more.

He set up a canoe club and had no idea that, 40 years on, it would have grown into the successful, much-loved and highly regarded sports organisation it is today.

The 64-year-old said: “I wanted to get people interested in the sport, so I set up the evening class. I was always involved in outdoor pursuits and just really enjoyed canoeing.

“I went on to earn various qualifications and went on numerous courses with my wife Val, and then through my job teaching, the club was set up.”

From an original 16 members, the group now boasts more than 140. It takes two regular training sessions a week from its base at Newport’s International Sports Village and organises trips far and wide.

It is the only sports club in Newport to be level three accredited by the city council, a major achievement in recognition of the high quality of service and sport it provides the community.

It is also listed as a ‘top club’ by the governing body of paddle sport in Wales, Canoe Wales.

And Mr Baker, who is now the club’s president, has been awarded the first honorary medal by Canoe Wales for his services to canoeing.

With a membership ageing from seven to 71, it is a family- friendly club.

John Cording, of Rogerstone, is the oldest member, aged 71, after starting around 28 years ago.

He got involved after his son Phillip, then aged eight, took up the sport.

Although his son, now 37, is into surfing, Mr Cording stayed at the club.

He said: “It is a very sociable club.”

Mr Cording also enjoys going to the Brecon canal every week to canoe and also enjoys trips with the club, including a recent one to Scotland.

One of the many reasons for it being so successful is Mr Baker’s experience.

Titles to his name include the vice chancellor of Canoe Wales’ board of directors, and he is also on the board directors of the British Canoe Union.

He is also a former competitor himself having competed in canoe polo between 1969 and the early 1980s, and for Wales in slaloming in the late 1970s.

But as well as training young competitors, he has also always been keen to keep the social side of the club one of its strongest points. He said: “The ethos is to involve youngsters and families.”

When the club was set up in 1971, pool sessions were held at the former Bulmore Lido and later at Llantarnam school pool before transferring to Maindee pool in the 1980s.

The club then moved to its current home at the Newport International Sports Village in January 2006.

The club, which is affiliated to the British Canoe Union and the Canoe Wales, now also enjoys competing in slaloms all over Britain as well as enjoying yearly trips abroad.

It has also organised a number of paddles in the French Alps and Augsburg, Germany, in addition to the local events.

But while the club organises a wide range of summer and winter programme of competitions and coaching activities, it is also a very sociable and family-orientated club, something which Mr Baker has enjoyed watching develop over the past 40 years.

He said: “We have a lot of young people doing really well now – maybe some with hopes for the Olympics. It is great to see them progressing so well.”

Other members of the club include Ed Hinds, 46, of Magor, who joined two and a half years ago, along with his two daughters Abigail, 14 and Elizabeth, 11.

Mr Hinds had been into canoeing as a student and decided to take the sport up again.

He now competes in the sport for fun taking part in slalom competitions and is ranked in division two nationally for K1 (kayaking) and C1 (canoeing).

He said: “It is a great, very friendly and family-orientated club which meets the needs of everybody who joins.”

Former soldier Ronnie Rogan, 41, of Malpas, signed himself, his wife Anita and 12-year-old son Kieran up at the club in 2006 when he was serving in Basra. He would join in with the club during his visits home and, after retiring from the Army last Christmas, he became a permanent member.

He said: “We have club trips and camps, and we’ve made a number of friends through the group who share similar interests.”

Sessions are held every Tuesday for canoe polo training and every Thursday for canoeing, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, with an hour for juniors and an hour for adults.