ABT offers two boating opportunities for school pupils. The standard group boating session and a Duke of Edinburgh expedition with the option to camp at Bisham Abbey.
Standard Session
Our standard school session provides both paddling and motor boating for groups ranging in size from 5 pupils to 18 pupils plus staff. The sessions are dedicated to a single school so that it can be tailored to the needs of that group. For many of the pupils a boating session at Bisham Abbey will be their first time that they have been on a small boat.
The arrangements for the session are agreed with the school but typically the pupils will arrive mid-morning having completed registration before traveling to Bisham Abbey. After equipping everybody with buoyancy aids we take to the water for 1-2 hours before returning for lunch in the large stretch tent. After lunch the group (reluctantly) heads back to school. The majority of the pupils will take to the water on one of our catamaran style canoes. ABT provides a trained volunteer to steer the boat and in many cases a crew member as well. It doesn’t matter that some pupils enjoy the paddling while others are more interested in just watching the world float by, everybody gets to experience the river in their own way. One of our boats is adapted to allow wheelchair users to be hoisted into the boat from their wheelchair allowing them to join their school friends in the boat.
The motor boat is for those pupils who either cannot or do not want to paddle to join their friends on the water. The drop down front provides for step free access for those in wheelchairs or with limited mobility.
Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions
ABT is not a D of E Provider but can provide the boats for those schools that wish to have their bronze or silver expeditions on the water over one or two days. These trips are bespoke to each group and the start and finish points are agreed with the school to ensure that it is an appropriate challenge for the ability of the participants. There is the option to camp at Bisham Abbey at the end of day one.
