A CHILDREN’S adventure club that offers £2 fun sessions in watersports has doubled in size after smashing the 50 members mark.

The Life’s an Adventure project has snowballed in popularity since launching in June and last week attracted 59 youngsters to its Saturday morning Youth Adventure Club.

The Weymouth College Outdoor Adventure Academy team are now starting up a second kids’ club on Saturday afternoons to cope with the demand.

The clubs, based at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy at Osprey Quay, Portland, have been part-funded by a £225,000 grant from Sport England.

The three-year Life's an Adventure project, run by Weymouth College in conjunction with Dorset County Council, aims to give local children and adults the chance to try sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, climbing, paddle boarding, coasteering, mountain biking, power-boating, raft building, slack lining and canoeing.

Outdoor Adventure Academy manager Alex Sergison has been amazed by the success of the scheme so far, particularly the popularity of the Youth Adven-ture Club, which runs from 9.30am to 1pm every Saturday.

He said: “It’s pretty incredible. We smashed the 50 members mark last weekend with 59 turning up. We have now split the club into three ages – six and seven years olds are Urchins, eight, nine and 10-year-olds are Snap-pers and 11-plus are Sharks.

“Due to the success and our Sport England support we have now reached capacity on Saturday mornings so are starting a second club on Saturday afternoons (1.30pm to 4.30pm).”

In addition to the youth sessions, an Adult Adventure Club takes place every Saturday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

On Sundays, a Family Adven-ture Club is held from 9.30am to 1pm, followed by the Adventure Ability for supported groups and disabled people from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

All the activities take place under the guidance of experienced college instructors.

The first five sessions cost £2 per session – although five sessions must be booked at a time.

Once those super saver sessions are up, members can continue to enjoy the activities at a still discounted rate of £10 per three-hour session.

Alex added: “Every week we’re getting more people to sign up. Not everyone can afford to pay for full-price sailing and windsurfing sessions so to be able to come down and pay a couple of quid is fantastic.

“It’s such a positive thing to be involved in.”

To book a place or to find out about volunteering opportunities call Alex on 07872 419409, follow weymouthportlandoutdooradventure on Facebook or email outdoor_activity@weymouth.ac .uk