The first new boat club along the Boat Race course for more than 50 years was opened today by one of the UK’s most decorated female Olympians.

London 2012 gold medallist Katherine Grainger described the Fulham Reach Boat Club as ‘wonderful’ as she cut the ribbon to officially open the boat house which stands underneath the new St George development along from Hammersmith Bridge and is passed by the famous annual Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race.

The club is being managed by former national champion, Steve O’Connor, and his focus is very much on providing a free opportunity for schools in the area where pupils may not have had a chance to try the sport.

A host of students from Burlington Danes Academy in White City, St Paul’s Girls’ School in Brook Green, Chelsea Academy and Hammersmith Academy have been training at the club which has a brand new fleet of 18 boats, an indoor training room with eight rowing machines, immaculate changing rooms and a kitchen.

Ms Grainger, who has also won three silver Olympic medals , said: “This is the nicest boat club I’ve ever been to, it’s so smart! It’s the most amazing thing to bring rowing into the community. I’ve ended up being very involved in rowing and going on to a very high level but I started out at uni having a laugh.

“It’s such a sociable sport and it’s wonderful Fulham Reach Boat Club is putting such an emphasis on teaching youngsters who go to school so near the river but haven’t had the chance to row.

“They may take it for granted, which they definitely should, but the Hammersmith stretch of the river is one of the best in the UK and as they get more into the sport they’ll realise this is where the best races are and is one of the most famous places to row in the world.

“There’s been a lot of interest from girls which is great to hear as the Women’s Head of the River Race is the biggest women’s rowing race and it happens right here.”

Developer St George has funded the club, which is a charity, with £3 million as part of a community commitment for its Fulham Reach development which has 788 homes, of which 186 are affordable.