By community correspondent Nathan Holt.

Pupils, teachers and hard-pressed parents of Tiffin School are training hard, filling in consent forms, and generally getting ready to row as preparation for next weekend’s OK Row Step Up.

Held once every two years, student members of Tiffin School Boat Club compete in a sponsored row from Oxford to Kingston-upon-Thames, which is completed over the two days of a selflessly given-up weekend. The 50 mile trek will hardly be a light paddle for any of the students - aged 14 to 18 - but students are hoping to keep their spirits buoyed by the chance to raise much needed funds for their boat club.

T.S.B.C is one of only six state school run boat clubs in the whole of the UK, and with costs of staff wages, boat insurance, British Rowing membership fees and equipment, the OK Row’s main aim is to raise the money to keep funding an increasingly expensive sport.

As well as this, T.S.B.C are not only feeling the burden of an upcoming “head” or regatta, but the added load of finding the funds to totally replace their 100-foot long landing stage, which is on the verge of a watery grave as winter approaches. Even with the costs being shared with Kingston Rowing Club, with whom T.S.B.C jointly own the Canbury Garden Boathouse lease, the estimated price of replacing the key structure is indicated to fall between a staggering £15,000 and £18,000.

Hence, Tiffin students are being encouraged to pester all family members and friends for those vital sponsorships in order to keep their beloved boat club’s head above water. And with one of the largest ever number of boys readying themselves for the marathon row, students and staff alike are confident that once again the sponsored row will be hugely successful.

With the fundraiser opening the long and gruelling winter rowing season, Head Coach Carol Cornell has paid tribute to everyone’s commitment to the biennial event, ‘All Tiffin rowers are involved, taking turns to crew several boats on the route from Oxford to Kingston over the course of two days. The Tiffin coaches and parents pitch in and everyone has a great - if exhausting - time.’

And as the 26th and 27th of September draw closer, and preparations are in place, the whole of the Tiffin School Boat Club is eagerly in the same boat. In the spirited exclamation of excited one Year 10 oarsman, “Ok Row; Let’s Go!”