Welcome to the April edition of Marine Matters from Coleman Marine Insurance, a Gallagher company.

Coleman Marine Insurance takes an active interest in all things nautical.

We’ve always been keen to support local charitable initiatives, hence we jumped at the opportunity to invite the Watersports Library to tell us more about themselves.

We also feature Coleman Account Executive Stephen Cooper in our monthly Q & A and learn that his ideal dinner guest would be Sir David Attenborough.

If you would like to find out more information about our business and its services, please contact us on 01202 497410 or visit our website for more information by clicking here

+++ 

John Good, Licensed Baptist Minister, Hamworthy, Poole.

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m married to Mim, with two children – Dylan, seven, and Jake, six, and we’re expecting a third boy, due in July.

We relocated to Poole from Luton in 2018.

I’m what’s called a pioneer Baptist Minister.

I don’t have a church or congregation but I have an open brief to listen to the community and work alongside them to meet any needs that we come across.

I’ve been a passionate surfer since the age of 19 years old and have always had a love for the coast.

Where did the idea of the Watersports Library come from?

My family and I created the Watersports Library after moving to Hamworthy in Poole and chatting to neighbours about how they saw their local area.

From these conversations, we recognised a clear disparity in people’s access to the water, in an area that has multiple marinas for private boats sitting alongside marginalised housing estates.

We created the Watersports Library after realising that – despite living near the water – many of our neighbours in Poole did not have the financial means or confidence to take part in watersports of any kind.

In a seaside town, lack of access to the water is emblematic of other factors of marginalisation that disadvantaged people face.

We felt that if we could create a local library of watersports gear, and build a community around the idea of resource sharing, it might drive a wide range of connected benefits from being out on the water, whilst also bringing people together to tackle loneliness and isolation.

When did you launch your social enterprise?

Our experiment started on May 14, 2020.

We were amazed at how quickly it took off.

We had 170 members join in the summer, despite all the restrictions of lockdown.

We rent a small space near Hamworthy beach to store kayaks, fishing tackle, surfboards, paddleboards, wetsuits and more.

People can then borrow this equipment using a cloud-based library management system, which is managed by a small team of volunteers.

Our members tell us that having access to the equipment, and spending time on the water has had a positive impact on their well-being and given them new local connections and relationships.

Members facing financial difficulties are offered free membership through a pay-it-forward system that seems to be working well.

Generally speaking, we think sharing does four things at the same time.

It builds social trust in a community which in turn develops resilience.

It equalises the rich and poor.

It reduces our carbon footprint.

Lastly, having access to water makes us healthier and happier.

What are your plans for the future?

The experiment was so successful in 2020 that we’ve been asked by the YMCA to set up a second library at their Junction Leisure Centre in Broadstone, a region of BCP Council that, surprisingly, faces similar issues of health, wellbeing and exclusion from accessing the water.

We successfully applied for funding from the National Lottery to open up this second library in Broadstone in time for the summer.

We will use the funding to pay for the initial outlay of water sports gear and set up our second rental space with racks and storage.

We believe that our project is working and has the potential to scale. We are off to a good start but we still need some support strengthening our foundations and becoming sustainable.

How does the business operate?

We opened for the 2021 season on March 1.

The Hamworthy premises are manned for five days over a seven-day period, with set operating times.

People can sign up for an annual membership at  watersportslibrary.com.

Memberships are £25, £50 or £75.

It’s a very simple process and we would encourage would be users to take a look and give us a try.

Borrowing fees are £8 per watercraft for up to three days.

Wetsuits, dry bags and other accessories are free.

There are also various membership options – probably the best option for individuals or households wanting to borrow regularly is the £75 per year premium which offers no borrowing fees.

Are you looking for support for your social enterprise?

We’d love to hear from organisations and businesses who might be interested in supporting us, to enable us to continue to grow and help many more people into the water.

We have sponsorship opportunities available on our products and website and would love to hear from you!

Email us at hello@watersportslibrary.com, telephone 07972350674 or go to our Facebook page here.

+++

Q&A with Stephen Cooper, Account Executive, Coleman Marine Insurance.

How long have you been in the business?

Nine years.

What’s your marine career background?

I started my insurance career 30-plus years ago. I have specialised in marine trade insurance since joining Coleman in 2012 and really enjoy it.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The people. We have great customers and it is always a pleasure to do the best we can for them and be there when they need us. I also work with a great group of people who are not only knowledgeable but also look out for and help one another.

Use three words to describe yourself

I like to think that I am always kind, trustworthy and always willing to help anyone who needs it.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A teacher.

Who do you most admire?

During this horrible pandemic there are ‘heroes’ everywhere, dealing with situations they never thought they would see. I salute all of them.

If I had to pick one person as a dinner guest it would be Sir David Attenborough. The insight and awareness he has drawn to global warming is phenomenal. I could listen to him talk about his adventures for hours.