Raise the Phoenix

The environment

The Feasibility Study has only been produced in digital format and circulated to all Trustees, Fundraisiers and Grant Funders electronically only

The local economy

The project will help the local economy when open in Easter 2021

Volunteering, jobs & education

The succesful outcome of the new building will be to increase activity and thereofre increase volunteering and paid roles.

Arts, culture & heritage

The Welsh Harp reservoir has a long heritage of sports and leisure dating back to the mid-1800's. William Warner leased the Welsh Harp Tavern and modelled it as a London Pleasure Garden, with Music Hall, hunting and fishing, boating and sailing. Over time the reservoir and open space has been used for power boat racing, water skiing, rowing, regatta's, ice skating, horse racing, greyhound racing. John "Rob Roy" McGregor launched his first canoe here and formed the Royal Canoe Club which met on the reservoir until 1900. The site of the Phoenix Canoe Club started off as the Sailing Club of the Handley Page aircraft company who built aeroplanes in Cricklewood up until they ceased trading in 1970. This was then taken over by National Cash Registers Sailing Club and then became North Circular Sailing Club. When the Welsh Harp Youth Sailing Base was closed in 2004, Phoenix Canoe Club was formed and moved in to share the premises. In 2011 we added the Phoenix Outdoor Centre to provide activities for schools and groups and this has grown year on year ever since.

Activity, health and leisure

The Feasibility study came up with some interesting stats on the health of our two local boroughs. Inactive people in Brent is 30.4% and Barnet 30.3% compared to the South East at 23.4% and England at 25.2% of the population. Room for improvement! Brent comes in second highest place in the number of obese children (aged 10-11) in each borough with a value of 27.7 whilst Barnet is much leaner down at 18.2.