Banks Group name on Durham School boat taking part in weekend regatta
Durham School Boat Club used a grant from the Banks Group to support a pre-season training camp for 30 students and staff at the Willem-Alexander Baan rowing centre in Rotterdam, which is used by elite crews across the world for training and competitions.
The funding boost also helped the club to bring in a range of new equipment to replace items which had reached the end of their usable life.
Now, as part of the sponsorship, the school’s boats will be bearing the name of Banks’ housebuilding division, Banks Homes, when they take to the River Wear at the North East’s primary rowing regatta this weekend (June 14/15).
(Image: Banks Group) Durham School was one of the regatta’s founders when first run in 1834 and will be sending more than 30 crews of students aged from 13 to 18 to this year’s event, with several crews comprising former students also set to take part.
The regatta attracts more than 1,400 competitors from schools, universities and rowing clubs from across the UK, with around 10,000 spectators expected to line the banks of the Wear over the two days.
It also sees a range of bands, performers, food stalls and businesses setting up along the river, with the Banks Homes team taking their place among them for the first time this year,
Eddie Bryant, head of rowing at Durham School, says: “The Durham Regatta is the highlight of the year for the club and we’re going all out to put on the best show we can on our home water.
(Image: Banks Group) “Being able to take students across to a world class training facility really boosted our preparations for this season, both in terms of the volume of training we got done, both on and off the water, and the team spirit that it helped to bolster right across the age groups.
(Image: The Northern Echo) “Our crews make a long-term commitment and put in a huge amount of work to prepare themselves for competition and they’re ready to pit themselves against some of the best schools and rowing clubs in the region.
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“While we have a long and proud rowing history, we’re a relatively small school compared to many of our peers and need to keep punching above our weight to stay competitive.
“We’re very grateful for the support that Banks has given our young rowers this year to help us do just that and proud to carrying the Banks Homes name with us into competition at the weekend.”
Russ Hall, managing director at Banks Homes, said: “Banks has been supporting a wide range of young people’s sports, sports teams and competitions across our home county for many years and we’re looking forward to seeing the Durham School crews flying the flag for the city this weekend.”