A CALSTOCK club with a thriving youth element is looking to expand its storage facilities because of its increasing popularity. Calstock Rowing Club now has so much equipment that its storage shed at the back of the village hall is inadequate and the recently acquired 35ft gig ?Zuss? is having to be stored elsewhere temporarily. The club has a 145-year history in the village and over the last ten years has become very popular with children from the community. It currently has 40 members under the age of 18 and 33 adult members. With so much interest, the amount of boats owned by the club has risen from two to seven and together with the 40 oars and associated safety equipment, the small storage shed is bursting at the seams. Club members have approached Calstock Parish Council in a bid to gain support for extending the building and are also appealing for funds towards the scheme. Club chairman Nick Bradley said a £10,000 grant from Sport England had enabled the purchase of the gig and support from the village had raised another £5,000 to buy a trailer and oars. ?The response from the community was heart-warming and emphasised what the village thinks of us and what we do for the kids,? he said. ?There is nothing else for the children in Calstock to do and it is very rewarding to see young people getting interested in rowing instead of hanging about on the street.? Mr Bradley said the club was taking members all around the county competing and the recent world gig championships on the Isles on Scilly saw 40 members take part. ?As well as broadening the horizons of young people, their involvement in the club has helped the way youth are viewed in the village, added Nick. ?We hope the parish council will support us in our plans.? Parish councillors complimented the club on its activities at its meeting last week and welcomed the opportunity to attend a meeting with members to discuss expansion plans.