Birmingham Rowing And Canoeing Centre
Charity 1181703
Overview
Summary
Birmingham Rowing And Canoeing Centre appears to be a place-based recreation charity whose core role is to make a specific waterside asset—Edgbaston Reservoir—available for health-promoting water sports. Its contribution may lie less in delivering a broad range of social services than in maintaining the conditions under which rowing, canoeing and related activities can take place. The available evidence suggests an infrastructure-focused organisation with potential importance to local sport, wellbeing and access to open space, but provides little insight into who uses the facilities or how participation is enabled.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Ladywood
Confidence: low
The charity’s stated purpose is the provision of rowing, canoeing and related water-sports facilities at Edgbaston Reservoir. However, the supplied evidence does not directly establish the charity’s operational activity in Ladywood. The charity’s latest reported accounts for the year ended 5 April 2025 record zero income and expenditure, it declares no land or property, and no current service delivery evidence was found.
- Charity Commission Register of Charities, Birmingham Rowing and Canoeing Centre (charity 1181703)
The charitable objects specify provision of facilities at Edgbaston Reservoir in Birmingham for rowing, canoeing and related water sports; the register records Birmingham City as the area in which the charity operates. - Birmingham City Council, Edgbaston Reservoir
The council provides information about Edgbaston Reservoir in Birmingham.
North Edgbaston
Confidence: low
The council’s adopted planning evidence places the Edgbaston Reservoir masterplan area within both North Edgbaston and Ladywood wards. This supports the reservoir as a cross-ward site, but does not demonstrate that this charity is presently delivering services or operating facilities there.
- Charity Commission Register of Charities, Birmingham Rowing and Canoeing Centre (charity 1181703)
The charity’s objects locate its intended facilities at Edgbaston Reservoir in Birmingham. - Birmingham City Council, Edgbaston Reservoir Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document
The masterplan area containing Edgbaston Reservoir is stated to lie within the North Edgbaston and Ladywood wards.
Remaining uncertainties
- There is insufficient current evidence that the charity is actively delivering rowing, canoeing or other services at Edgbaston Reservoir, rather than retaining a charitable purpose for a proposed or inactive facility.
- The charity’s accounts for the financial year ended 5 April 2025 report zero income and zero expenditure, while the Charity Commission record says it does not own or lease land or property; this substantially limits confidence that it currently operates a physical site.
- No official website, current activity report, venue listing or partner evidence was found that identifies services delivered by this charity.
- Birmingham City Council identifies other organisations as providing sailing, boating and rowing at the reservoir. This does not establish that they are partners of Birmingham Rowing and Canoeing Centre.
- The Cofton Hackett registered address should not be treated as an operational site in Birmingham.
Additional evidence needed
- A current trustees’ annual report or activity statement describing services delivered, participants reached and the dates of activity.
- Confirmation from the charity or Birmingham City Council of whether the charity currently manages, hires or uses any facilities at Edgbaston Reservoir.
- A current agreement, licence, lease or booking arrangement showing the charity’s relationship to a specific reservoir-based facility.
- Official confirmation of any material delivery partnerships with Birmingham Rowing Club, Midland Sailing Club, Birmingham (Vernon) Sea Cadets, the council or other reservoir users.
Areas of work
- Recreation
Who they help
How they help
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A facility steward rather than a conventional activity provider
The charity appears to operate principally through provision of facilities and open space, using the reservoir as the platform through which healthy recreation becomes possible.
Why it matters
This distinguishes the organisation from clubs or programmes that may deliver sessions directly. Its relationships with user groups, coaches, schools or sports clubs could be central to its local value.
Show evidence
“The promotion of community participation in healthy recreation by the provision of facilities at Edgbaston Reservoir in Birmingham for rowing, canoeing and other related water sports.”
Source:Charity Commission“Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space”
Source:Charity Commission
Its public benefit is tied to one strategic local asset
The organisation's mission appears geographically concentrated: its ability to advance healthy recreation depends on the accessibility, condition and use of Edgbaston Reservoir.
Why it matters
This suggests that changes affecting the reservoir—management, access, safety or surrounding development—may have an outsized effect on the charity's relevance and resilience.
Show evidence
“The provision of facilities at Edgbaston Reservoir in Birmingham.”
Source:Charity Commission“Recreation”
Source:Charity Commission
Participation is intended, but inclusion is unproven
The objects express an aim of community participation, but the evidence does not show whether activities are affordable, actively supported, or accessible to groups less likely to take part in water sports.
Why it matters
The difference between maintaining a venue and enabling broad participation is important when assessing the organisation's contribution to community health and civic inclusion.
Show evidence
“The promotion of community participation in healthy recreation.”
Source:Charity Commission“.”
Source:Organisation
- Which organisations, clubs, schools or community groups use or help operate the facilities.
- Who participates, how regularly, and whether barriers such as cost, equipment, confidence or disability access are addressed.
- Whether the charity directly delivers water-sport activities or primarily enables others to do so.
Remaining uncertainties
- Information on current users, partner organisations, programmes and participation levels.
- Details of access arrangements, pricing, inclusion measures, governance and responsibility for reservoir maintenance and safety.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
.
Charity objects
THE PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN HEALTHY RECREATION BY THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES AT EDGBASTON RESERVOIR IN BIRMINGHAM FOR ROWING, CANOEING AND OTHER RELATED WATER SPORTS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF PROMOTING HEALTHY RECREATION.