The Pirate Castle

We're London's longest-running community boating charity. 2026 is very special as we're celebrating our Diamond Jubilee - we're proud to have served our community for 60 years and are ambitious for the future. From our fully-accessible base on the Regent's Canal in the heart of Camden Town, we promote learning, life chances and healthy living through a raft of paddlesport, canal boating, training and volunteer initiatives. Ensuring that nobody's priced out from the activities, spaces and communities which improve their lives and prospects is fundamental to our ethos of inclusivity. With almost 70% of our service users navigating pressures linked to poverty and wid... read more We're London's longest-running community boating charity. 2026 is very special as we're celebrating our Diamond Jubilee - we're proud to have served our community for 60 years and are ambitious for the future. From our fully-accessible base on the Regent's Canal in the heart of Camden Town, we promote learning, life chances and healthy living through a raft of paddlesport, canal boating, training and volunteer initiatives. Ensuring that nobody's priced out from the activities, spaces and communities which improve their lives and prospects is fundamental to our ethos of inclusivity. With almost 70% of our service users navigating pressures linked to poverty and wider disadvantage, we focus on providing low-cost and free activities for young people, underserved groups and communities most in need. Core projects include: Weekly instructor-led paddlesport sessions for: young people ages 8+ (after school and weekends), girls, adults, elders, SEND / SEMH groups and the LGBTQ+ community, plus free paddlesport taster sessions throughout the year; Multi-activity Holiday Schemes (weekdays, 10am - 3.30pm); Community and fully-accessible canal boat trips and residentials; Nationally-recognised progression and accreditation pathways; Subsidised activities for schools and support /community groups. Together, these open up blue-space health and enrichment benefits and help local people of all ages and abilities get more active, feel better about themselves, gain skills / qualifications and make positive connections which create positive ripples across our communities, schools and wider neighbourhoods. Our canalside community spaces are also used by local people / organisations for their own events and services. Over 4,000 Camden residents access our services each year. 75% are young people and we've an almost even split of male / female service users, with rising numbers identifying as LGBTQI+. Over 40% identify as SEND / SEMH. We also have a broad ethnicity profile, reflecting the diversity of our Borough.