Great Marlow Swans:

 

Great Marlow Swans has been set up in order to provide the coaches and children involved with GMSBC a platform of help and support.

We are a group of committed parents, helpers and carers with a passion for the development of our children in a sport that they love. We are now a registered charity and besides financial support we also aim to help out the club in so many other more subliminal ways. This website is a testimony of pulling in help from as many stakeholders as possible.

 

The Swans have trustees and a committee that meet every six weeks and hold various fundraising events throughout the year. We are building momentum and a genuine togetherness.

 

Our ambition is to create a community and spirit for rowing that will develop into something special.

 

This will then live on for decades (hopefully) when we are all long gone!

 

 

The Great Marlow Swans Committee and Trustees:

 

The club is run by a board of trustees and a voluntary committee. The trustees are responsible for the finances, buildings, equipment and rowing and coaching structure. The committee consists of the secretary of the club, the coaches, parent representatives and other parents of the rowers and are responsible for the social events for the club.

 

If you would like any information about the committee, please contact Caroline Money via email at rowing@gms.bucks.sch.uk

 

The board of trustees of the club for the 2015/16 season are:

 

Andrew Jones - Chairman

As a parent who appreciates the value competitive sport can bring, it is my pleasure to be involved with such a committed group of parents and trustees who are helping build a wonderful platform for rowing to succeed in Great Marlow School.

 

My involvement began in 2010 and although my daughter no longer rows I am as passionate about the cause and the sport as ever.

I bring a level of objectivity to the Chairman position whilst utilising my professional skills built up over a 25 year career in the Medical device Industry to further advance the foundations of the charity.

 

Married with three grown up children and living locally, it is a privilege to represent the best interests and development of the children who row.

 

As a slow marathon runner and not overly blessed with height, I have never rowed on the water but am in awe of those who do!

 

 

Roger Wilson - Treasurer

Roger Wilson is a widower and originates from Devon. He has lived in the Marlow area for over 40 years.

 

Roger is currently Chairman of Marlow Community Association which runs Liston Hall, He is also a Councillor who is Cabinet member for Regeneration and Economic Development at Wycombe District Council. He has twice been mayor of Marlow.

 

He quotes: "The only time that I went in a small boat - excluding sailing dinghies - I capsized!" 

 

 

Caroline Money - Secretary

Caroline Money is a Marlow girl - born and bred and educated locally and lives in central Marlow.

 

She has been instrumental since 2010 in setting up Great Marlow Swans which supports the ongoing development of rowing at the school.

She has been a Trustee before, having been involved with other charities to do with education since 2001. With this she brings many years of experience to the Swans. She is a keen supporter of the rowing and can often be seen (and heard!) supporting the squad at Regattas and Heads.

 

Both her children have rowed whilst at Great Marlow School. Her eldest, Charlotte is now at University in Canterbury and has taken up coastal rowing which makes the Thames seem rather tame! Her son Sam is currently in Year 12 and rows in the senior squad and also helps coach the younger years.   

 

 

Fergus Murison - Head of Rowing

Fergus Murison has been teaching Maths at Great Marlow School since 2007. He came into teaching after having worked in the financial sector for over two decades, following his boyhood ambition to teach and coach.

 

Fergus rowed as a schoolboy in Bath, then at University in Oxford, following then to a club in Henley, where he now lives. He first coached rowing while still at University, and continued to coach college crews throughout the eighties. By the late nineties, his own sons had started taking sport seriously and he switched to coaching Rugby at Henley Rugby Club, which he continued up until joining the staff of Great Marlow School in 2007.

 

He has been involved with charities supporting education and rowing for a number of years and is a Trustee and Chairman of two other charities in this field. He is on the board of The Boat Race Company, which is responsible for the funding, and running of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.

 

 

Joanna Honey

Having lived in Marlow all my life (apart from a short spell in Manchester for my degree) I have always enjoyed the River Thames but never appreciated the beauty of the water until both my sons started rowing. Standing on many a riverbank with a great bunch of vocal and committed supporters of Great Marlow School Boat Club is always a great pleasure and often very exciting watching the talented crews’ race.

Working as a hotel Sales Director and latterly in a freelance role, I am keen to raise the club's profile both locally and nationally and to help promote the benefits of rowing wherever I can to families new to the sport. My eldest son, Ross, is now in Year 13 and my youngest son, Lewis is in Year 10 and both have a passion for rowing with Ross having won Gold for England at GB France and Gold at National Schools Regatta. Lewis and his crew members won't be too far behind, I am sure! Rowing has made such a difference to both boys both personally and academically and is such a huge part of our family life now!

As a Trustee of Great Marlow Swans I hope to play a small part in ensuring that the sport and the club have longevity at Great Marlow School and that we maintain a healthy and long term relationship with all rowers beyond their time at school.

 

 

Sarah Peace

Also born and raised in Marlow, I have developed an appreciation for rowing since my children discovered the allure of the sport at Great Marlow School.

 

Both my children are at Great Marlow School and both are keen and talented rowers. My son, Oli is in year 11, has had a successful year in rowing and has achieved a gold medal at the Schools Head of the River and came home from Strathclyde in July with a silver medal at the British Rowing Championships. My daughter, Lucy who is in year 9, already has a number of medals and is looking forward to adding to her collection!

 

My background is in construction management and I studied both my masters degree and PhD at Reading University. I have worked for many years as a manager in a charitable international membership organisation, and have extensive experience in managing research, setting up and developing scholarship programmes, producing publications and managing international award programmes.

As a trustee I am keen to foster relationships with key funding bodies, in particular Sport England and use my experience and networking skills to obtain sponsorship and get as much exposure for the club as possible.