There's no such thing as a free lunch, or perhaps a free SUP(per), but there is such a thing as trading GoodGym muscle power for an hour of paddling fun.

First we worked: skip diving, raking cut brambles (carefully avoiding the dead rat), sweeping floors, and emptying everything from files to piles of wood from the Oxford SUP club's new home.

Then we played: kitting up with life jackets, paddles and boards for an hour on the water. Andy from the SUP club kindly took us novices through the basics, and everyone mastered paddling standing up, steering, and some turning manoeuvres. The only person brave enough to try the step-back-turn was the only one who fell in - showing true commitment Matty!