YOUNG rowers in the district will benefit from a new gym package to maintain their physical fitness over the winter months.

Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School Rowing Club have almost 130 members, who have enjoyed a successful season on local rivers and across the UK.

But opportunities to get on to the water are restricted to weekends during the winter months, and an exciting new opportunity to use Matfen Hall’s Aqua Vitae Gym will enable them to work on their strength training programme during the dark weekday evenings.

It comes after the club’s youngsters supported the gym’s Let’s Move for a Better World campaign earlier this year.

The campaign was part of a global challenge back in March, which encouraged people to take part in physical activity, in a bid to raise awareness of childhood obesity. In addition to the gym package, Matfen Hall has also donated two new rowing machines which will be put to good use by a club which has limited indoor facilities.

Rowing co-ordinator Pauline Higgins said the young rowers were both grateful and excited ahead of the winter programme. She added: “Providing a venue and equipment for the current membership of almost 130 people to enjoy winter training is becoming more challenging. Putting on an enjoyable programme such as this, where participation is valued as highly as performance, is ensuring that QEHS Rowing Club remains thriving as one of the top independent sports clubs in the region solely for juniors.”

During the Let’s Move for a Better World Campaign, QEHS rowers attended the gym twice a week. They were among 250 people who completed the mission of completing 2,000 fitness moves each day, from March 11 to 30. The rowing club has a long-established reputation for introducing youngsters aged 13-plus to the sport.