The Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh Council, Chris Smyth along with Vice Chair, John Coyle visited Enniskillen Royal Boat Club last week to see for themselves the work that the coaching team led by Head Coach Derek Holland are doing with the young rowers from the Club.

In a year that saw all training at the Club stopped due to Covid-19 in March the rowers are back on the water training under strict government restrictions.

The Club would normally be on their summer break after the Irish Rowing Championships in July but this season has been far from normal. Chris and John spoke with the coaches and the rowers and then had a tour of the boathouse and heard about the work that the Club’s volunteers have been doing in the local community which saw them being awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in June.

Chris Smyth wishes to focus on mental health issues during his time as Chair of the Council so he was particularly interested in hearing about the positive impact that training has on the mental health of the rowers as well as their physical well being.

While he was at the Club Chris purchased a brick in the Robert Northridge boathouse to help ERBC with their fundraising activities.