The Vikings Fund
Rowing is an expensive sport. At Eton the rowing budget, £300,000 per annum to support 250 wetbobs, is nearly as much as that of all the other sports combined. Not surprisingly rowing now needs additional funding. In 2007 the Eton Vikings Fund was established to help meet this need. Its aim is to create an income stream of £50,000 per annum for the school boat club to help ensure that all Eton wetbobs, from beginners in F Block to those in the VIII, continue to enjoy all the pleasures and opportunities of boating that they have in the past and currently still do.
Examples of the use to which income from the Vikings Fund might be put are:
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the provision of a new eight (£25,000) and blades (£3,500) every year;
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ensuring that singles (£6,000), pairs (£9,000) and fours (£15,000) are replaced in a timely fashion
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funds to employ part-time coaches in the Summer Half to cover the large number of boys rowing at this time of year;
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additional bursaries to ensure that the personal costs of rowing are, if necessary, covered in the case of needy boys;
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careful repair and occasional replacement of boats and uniforms for the Procession of Boats on the Fourth of June;
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other requests from the boat club that may occur from time to time.