Rhondda Paddlers: Bringing kayaking to the Upper Rhondda Fach
July 27th 2026
With support from the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund, Rhondda Paddlers has expanded its activities into the Upper Rhondda Fach, helping local people get active, learn new skills and build new friendships.
Rhondda Paddlers is a volunteer-run canoe and kayak club established in 2001 and the only organisation providing kayaking and canoeing activities across Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The club has traditionally attracted most of its members from the lower and mid Rhondda Fawr Valley. It wanted to make paddlesports more accessible to people living in the Upper Rhondda Fach, while providing an affordable activity where local people could stay active, meet others and learn new skills.
With support from the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund, the club introduced weekly kayaking sessions at Ferndale Swimming Pool.
From the swimming pool to the river
The project attracted 20 participants, including 13 men and 7 women, and delivered 26 indoor kayaking sessions. The club also gained 12 new members.
The sessions gave people the opportunity to try kayaking in a safe, warm and welcoming environment, helping them to develop new skills and confidence. For some participants, it was their first experience of paddlesports.
The project also helped people to build friendships and social connections, supporting wellbeing and reducing social isolation. As participants became more confident, many wanted to take their new skills outdoors.
During the warmer months, the group moved from the swimming pool to the local River Taf, enjoying kayaking, sit-on-top kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
Creating opportunities that last
The project developed beyond the club’s original plans. The indoor sessions continued through to January 2026, supported by an underspend in the original funding, and the group has continued to meet weekly outdoors since then.
Rhondda Paddlers is now working with the local authority to explore access to a lake in the Upper Rhondda Fach. This could allow the club to establish a regular outdoor paddlesports programme in the area and make activities available to even more local people.
The club is also looking at how it can develop opportunities for children and families in the future as its volunteer base grows.
The project has therefore created more than just a series of kayaking sessions. It has helped Rhondda Paddlers establish a new local group, attract new members and create a pathway for people to continue enjoying paddlesports beyond the original project.
Project impact
- 20 people took part in the project
- 12 new members joined Rhondda Paddlers
- 26 indoor kayaking sessions were delivered
- Participants progressed from indoor kayaking to outdoor paddlesports
- Participants developed new skills, confidence and friendships
- The project supported physical activity, wellbeing and reduced social isolation
- Rhondda Paddlers expanded its activities into the Upper Rhondda Fach
Rhondda Paddlers said:
“Rhondda Paddlers would like to thank Pen y Cymoedd for all their support in partnering with us and helping to make the project a reality.”
What began as a programme of indoor kayaking sessions has grown into an ongoing local paddlesports group, creating new opportunities for people in the Upper Rhondda Fach to get active, connect with others and enjoy the outdoors.
The Fund was established by energy company Vattenfall to benefit the communities hosting the Pen y Cymoedd wind farm across the upper Neath, Afan, Rhondda and Cynon Valleys. It exists to support local people, groups and organisations to invest in themselves, their ideas and their communities.
The Community Fund has a substantial annual budget that is index-linked, meaning it increases in line with inflation. As an example, this equated to around £2.5 million in 2025. The Fund will continue to support communities until 2043, creating long-term opportunities for growth, resilience and positive change.
The Fund is managed by an independent, locally based not-for-profit Community Interest Company. It is overseen by a Board of Directors with strong local connections and delivered by a small but dedicated staff team with extensive community engagement experience. We are here to help ensure the Fund delivers on the vision and priorities of local communities.
Over the next 10 years, the Fund is focusing on investment in people, places and businesses — helping the Valleys to thrive, driving bold ideas, supporting transformation and creating lasting impact for current and future generations.