General Information

Minimum Age

The minimum age for all activities is strictly 8 years old.

Each course has a specific minimum age - please check each course for eligibility and prerequisites before making a booking.

Any participant can only attend from when they hit the minimum age requirement.

For example, if your child only turns 8 years old on the Wednesday of the 5-day Multi-Watersports course they want to attend, they can only attend from the Wednesday onwards. To attend that course, you would still have to pay the full course fee.

Prerequisites

Participants do not have to be able to swim to participate in our sessions but must be water confident. All participants wear buoyancy aids during all of our activities.

Some courses do have additional prerequisites beyond the minimum age requirements. Please check each course for eligibility before making a booking.

Booking

Bookings can only be made online.

There is no waiting list.

We do not accept childcare vouchers.

When children’s school holiday courses go live, we generally announce their availability on our newsletter first. We send around 5 newsletters per year.

Please read the latest version of the Terms and conditions carefully before proceeding with any bookings.

Cancellations

If the Centre cancels a course, a full refund will be given, you will be contacted in advance of the course start date with the options available at that time.

Courses will run regardless of weather conditions; refunds will not be given in the event of bad weather.

Wimbledon Park Watersports Centre reserves the right to run alternative watersports options based on the conditions on the day.

Courses will only run if sufficient numbers are booked.

If you can no longer attend a course, or part of a course, please notify us via email: watersports.wimbledonpark@merton.gov.uk

Refunds

You can request a refund by submitting a Refund Request Form.

All refunds will incur an admin fee unless due to course cancellation by the centre.

Please read the terms and conditions to see if you are eligible and for more details.

Transfers and name changes

Bookings are for the named participant only and cannot be transferred from one individual to another without the centre’s discretion.

All transfers will incur a £50 admin fee per person.

To request a transfer, please submit a Transfer Request Form.

Please read the terms and conditions for more details.

What to wear

Check the weather before attending!

Make sure you bring:

• At least 2 sets of clothes suitable for the weather conditions (no jeans), including underwear.
• A waterproof jacket and hat.
• 2 pairs of shoes - shoes are required at all times onsite, including on the water, and you will want a dry pair to wear to and from the centre. For on the water activities, old trainers or water shoes are perfect. Any shoes you bring should be secure and have a closed toe (not flip-flops, sliders or wellington boots). Crocs are allowed, but not advised.
• A towel and sun protection.
• A packed lunch including drink (if you are with us all day).

We do not provide wetsuits. Feel free to wear your own, but most activities do not involve being immersed in water, so they are not mandatory. Windsurfers and those doing paddlesport rescue training must bring and wear a wetsuit.

Participants should arrive already changed where possible.

Lost property

Any lost property, if found, will be kept at the centre for 1 month. After this time, it will be disposed of.

To enquire about any lost property, please email watersports.wimbledonpark@merton.gov.uk with a detailed description of any lost items.

Arrival and registration

Please arrive no more than 5 minutes before your scheduled session time.

Registration will take place outside of the centre or in the garden area adjacent to the centre.

Facilities

Participants can access toilets and changing rooms during their visit.

Separate male and female changing rooms are available with shower facilities. We also have accessible changing rooms available.

We only have limited sheltered space, the vast majority of your time onsite will be spent outdoors in the elements. Our outside area is fenced off from the rest of the park and has benches and tables for breaks and lunches, if required.

Address and travelling to the centre

Wimbledon Park Watersports Centre
Home Park Road
Wimbledon
SW19 7HX

We recommend using public transport to get here.

The Centre building is located by the water’s edge in the middle of the park.

Driving and parking

There are two car parks available for public use in Wimbledon Park.

Wimbledon Park Road Car Park (SW19 6PE) is free parking but a longer walk.

Revelstoke Road Car Park (SW18 5NW) is a pay and display car park closer to the centre. Revelstoke Road car park has a smaller capacity and a 3.4m maximum height under a railway bridge.

During the Wimbledon Tennis Championships there is no vehicle access to Wimbledon Park for dropping off and collecting. These parking restrictions may be enforced before the start and after the end date of the championships. Please check All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for specific traffic restrictions.

Follow us

Sign up to our watersports newsletter and follow us on social media, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club

Merton Statement on AELTC Planning Decision

Learn to sail

Children (9-16) can book onto our Beginners Sailing course running during children’s school holidays: Beginners Sailing (ages 9-16)

Adults can book onto a 2-day RYA Level 1 course that normally run during weekdays: RYA adult sailing courses

Or if you’re looking for a smaller commitment, book a 1-to-1 lesson as a taster or for more bespoke teaching: Private tuition

Stand up paddleboarding

The best way to stand up paddleboard at the centre is to book a small group session: Small groups (up to 5 participants)

Swimming

Wimbledon Park Lake is not an open water swimming venue. There are several alternatives including open air swimming pools, lidos and natural spots. Open Water Swimming Venues - Swim England website

Fishing

Wimbledon Park Angling Club operates from the 'green' banks of the lake.

Bringing your own boat or craft

No unauthorised craft are allowed to access the lake. All watersports activities are run through Wimbledon Park Watersports Centre with our staff and equipment.

If you’re already able to sail and just looking to get out on the water for cheap, book a pay and play session: Pay and play

Feeding the birds

The designated bird feeding area can be found at the end of the lakeside path closest to the children’s play area. Please follow the signs.

Visit the RSPB website for advice on what to feed them.

Watersports and sailing group prices

Watersports sessions cost £80 per 8 participants per hour.

Sailing sessions cost £90 per 6 participants per hour.

Watersports sessions generally include paddlesports like kayaking, canoeing and other similar types of craft. We do occasionally offer taster sailing sessions as part of our watersports sessions when appropriate but it’s not a guaranteed part of those sessions.

Sailing sessions include only sailing activities unless the weather conditions dictate otherwise.

The prices of the 2 products differ they are governed by different National Governing Bodies. The different national governing bodies work to different ratios and require different types of safety boats.

Watersports can be run at an 8:1 ratio which is why our hourly rates are per 8 per hour while sailing can only be run at 6:1 which is why our hourly rates are per 6 per hour.

Sailing requires powerboats on safety cover which incurs a fuel cost which is why sailing is run at £90 per hour vs watersports at £80 per hour.

Schools information

Pricing and session length

When booking, you will be able to choose between day visits and shorter sessions and between watersports and sailing options. See basic pricing information below.

Day Visits:

(minimum 16 participants): £56 per person (£91 during peak times) – minimum day visit is £896.

Watersports:

Shorter sessions (minimum 8 participants): £80 per 8 per hour

Sailing:

Shorter sessions (minimum 6 participants): £90 per 6 per hour

Reserving dates

All enquiries for school bookings must be made with watersports.wimbledonpark@merton.gov.uk

When you book, we can provisionally reserve your agreed dates for a limited period of time.

To secure your booking you will have to pay a deposit, the amount to pay will be dependent on the value of your booking and how far in advance you make the booking. See the terms and conditions for more specifics.

Invoices

The email confirmation of payment acts as your receipt, the booking system does not generate invoices.

Pre-course visits

If it’s your first time making a school booking with us, we recommend you organise a pre-course visit with us ahead of time to understand the travel to the centre and also to get a feel for the site and the facilities.

Responsibilities during your visit

Staff and teachers are not required on the water during a session unless a participant requires a 1-to-1.

Any participants going on the water, including teachers, assistants, other staff etc. must be included within the booked number of participants on the water.

While no teachers are required on the water or on session, at least one adult must be onsite on the land at the centre at all times during your visit for potential pastoral care.

You are responsible for your students throughout your stay. This includes break times and over lunch where applicable.

Catering and lunches

We do not provide any food and have no catering facilities at our venue. You will have to bring your own packed lunches and snacks with you.

Permission slips

We do not require permission slips or waivers from parents; however, you may wish to collect them for yourself as the booker.

We expect you to communicate any relevant information to us on the day that we need to know to make the session run as smoothly as possible.

Risk assessments, insurance and safeguarding

All of our staff have a National Governing Body Instructor qualification, an in-date valid enhanced DBS, an in-date First Aid certificate and safeguarding training.

We have risk assessments and insurance appropriate for all the activities and products we offer. We will provide copies of the relevant risk assessments or insurance on request, if necessary, during your enquiry.

Bringing your own Instructor

If you have your own instructor who you want to run your session, they will have to provide evidence of their qualifications and attend an induction at the Centre before being allowed to lead or assist on sessions.

If you have access to your own suitably qualified instructor you would like to have on session, please make that clear in your initial enquiry when emailing watersports.wimbledonpark@merton.gov.uk where we can provide you with more information about pricing.

Any enquiry about using your own instructor must come at least 1 month prior to the prospective booking date.

Organisations and Voluntary Group Information

Release schedule

Slots will be made available to book between the 1^st and 10^th of each month in this schedule:

• March dates will be released in December
• April dates will be released in January
• May dates will be released in February
• June dates will be released in March
• July dates will be released in April
• August dates will be released in May
• September and October dates will be released in June
• November dates will be released in September

Group size and session length

Once you have booked and paid for the minimum session on the date you want, you have until 1 month before your booked session to submit a booking variation form. Any changes are subject to Wimbledon Park Watersports Centre staffing availability.

For weekday bookings, we have no capacity to increase group sizes.

You can increase numbers to 24 on evening bookings depending on staff availability.

You can increase numbers to 32 on Saturday bookings depending on staff availability.

Smaller groups of 8 are available on weekday sessions and occasionally on evenings.

If on a given evening date, the original booked session remains a group of 16 only with no adjustments to its group size, we may also offer smaller groups of up to 8 participants on those evenings. However, there is no guarantee that we will be able to offer any of these smaller group sessions. If they do become available, they will only be released to book 4 weeks before.

Choosing your activity

As a default, Wimbledon Park staff will decide what activity you do based on the weather.

If you’d like to indicate a preference, you can do so by completing a booking variation form. If you decide to choose your activity, the booked session time will include a discussion of the different options with staff on the day as well as the getting out of equipment.

We can offer kayaking (either 1-person or 2-person options), canoeing and sometimes stand up paddleboarding (if conditions, group numbers, and group age and ability allow) as part of these group sessions.

If you book a Saturday slot, Wimbledon Park staff will decide what activities you do based on the weather. They will endeavour to include sailing in Funboats as one of your two activities.

Children’s holiday course information

Permission to walk home

If you would like to give a participant permission to sign out and make their own way home alone, please complete the form below.

Permission to walk home alone form

Logbooks

If you have a logbook and are booked onto a sailing or windsurfing course, please bring your logbook with you.

If you don’t have a logbook and would like one, you can purchase one at the centre for £10. We cannot accept cash payments.

Multi-Watersports and Teen Supreme do not require or use logbooks on the course.

Volunteer information

Application window

The volunteer scheme application window is typically from around mid-May to early June.

You will have to submit an application form online. As part of the application you will need to know your availability for the summer, provide 2 references (non-family members and over 18) and provide a photo (face only).

Volunteering as work experience

If accepted onto the volunteer scheme, if your school allows, you will be able to use your time at the centre as work experience.

You will have to submit a work experience form.

Duke of Edinburgh Awards (DofE) volunteering

Because the volunteer scheme is only over the 2-month summer holiday period, it doesn’t typically meet the minimum duration requirements for volunteering at any level of DofE.

However, due to the intensity and the number of hours involved (150 hours), some DofE advisors have allowed volunteers in the past to use their time on the volunteer scheme towards the volunteering section. This is not a decision that the centre can make, and we cannot guarantee an advisor will allow it.

Please check with your DofE advisors.