Active360 Reviews

Active360 specialises in stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) training. We aim to engage people in natural environments through SUP and also to make them aware of the threats to these environments and how they can help to make positive changes. We aim to provide a fun and safe watersport experience for people of all ages. Our coaches receive comprehensive regular in-house training to ensure high levels of safety and excellent technical SUP knowledge. Our coaches or instructors (we usually call them coaches as they mostly coach people rather than “instruct” them) have been trained through one or more of the existing paddlesport coach / instructor training schemes. The main ones are from the ASI (Academy of Surf Instructors, BSUPA (British Stand up Paddleboard Association) and BCU (British Canoeing). All are valid teaching programmes, which cover most of the basic skills to coach, rescue and keep people safe on water. As SUP is still a relatively new sport without a National Governing Body (NGB) the training agencies have not yet agreed to accept the validity of or even to recognise each other’s qualifications. So we treat all of these training courses as a starting point and more importantly make sure that our new coaches are also trained on the local river environment by working with our most experienced coaches before lead working as coaches. To be a good lead coach on the tidal Thames, you need to have an understanding of the effects river traffic, tide and wind conditions can have on safety. None of this is properly covered in any of the available courses. We also provide training though our Thames Skills and Knowledge (TSK) courses developed with the support and guidance of the Port of London Authority. We are keen to keep improving the way we present and introduce SUP, so we are always on the look-out for new ideas and fresh thinking from our SUP trips around the world.