Awards and recognition

Out for Sport Awards 2024/25: Jamie Johnstone won Club Spirit, and Allie Loweth shortlisted for Newcomer of the Year

“Joining the club in 2021 with no prior rowing experience, Jamie has quickly risen to become Club Captain, overseeing training, coaching, racing, and logistics. His efforts have been instrumental in growing the club to over 250 members while fostering a positive, inclusive atmosphere. Whether managing regattas or handling last-minute challenges, Jamie approaches everything with calm, kindness, and a great sense of humour. He’s a role model, a unifier, and truly the heartbeat of the Otters.”

British Rowing Awards 2024: LORC shortlisted for Club of the Year

“This inspirational club combines inclusion, competitive and recreational rowing and has shown impressive growth.”

Out for Sport Awards 2023: Dean Pretorius shortlisted for Club Spirit

Out for Sport Awards 2022: Senior 4+ won Team of the Year

British Rowing Awards 2021: Ralphie won Volunteer of the Year, Thames Region

“The London Otters would not be what they are today, and would not be emerging from the pandemic in such good shape, without Ralphie’s positivity, dedication and commitment to building, not just a club, but a community.”

British Rowing Awards 2020: LORC shortlisted for Club of the Year

In the media

• Newham LGBT rowing club achieves landmark milestone, North East Londoner, 19 March 2025

• The UK’s only LGBTQ+ inclusive rowing club has two crews participating in the world’s largest women’s rowing race in the world, Scene Magazine, 9 March 2025

• Team GB rower Saskia Budgett Delray joins London Otters for largest-ever ‘Rainbow Races’, Sports Media LGBT+, 20 October 2024

• 18 brilliant community sports clubs to join in London, Time Out, 8 July 2024

• London Otters - EuroGames TV report, NOS Journaal, 29 July 2022 (Dutch/English)

• Down My Club: London Otters RC, British Rowing, 1 August 2022

• At the London Otters Rowing Club, grab an oar and feel free, Royal Docks, 15 March 2022

• How London Otters Rowing Club offers connection and community, Gay Times, 1 September 2020

• ‘Toxic macho culture put me off team sports – joining an LGBTQ rowing team changed my life’, Attitude, 2 August 2019

• ‘People often ask me why I joined the rowing team, and, in all honesty, it was to save myself’, British Rowing and Boyz, April 2019

• London Otters hold second annual Rainbow Races Regatta, Scene Magazine, 26 November 2018

• The One with the London Otters and Craig Bratt from Crawley Town, The LGBT Sport Podcast, BBC, 11 October 2018

• London Otters Rowing Club: 'How I went from beginner to winning bronze at the Gay Games', BBC Sport, 1 September 2018

• The London Otters rowing club heads to the Paris 2018 Gay Games, ITV News London, 23 July 2018

• London Otters to Row the Distance Between London and Paris to Raise Funds Ahead of Gay Games, Attitude, July 2018

• London Otters rowers to row from London to Paris ahead of the Gay Games, QX Magazine, 19 July 2018

• Out and Active Champions: Sarah from London Otters Rowing Club, Out for Sport, 2018

• Rainbow Laces: How the London Otters LGBT rowing club brings people back to sport, Sky Sports, 4 December 2017