The club trains out of a rebuilt[8] boathouse on a 3.5km stretch of the River Avon south of Warwick Castle.

Godfrey began looking at the local Ordnance Survey map to examine a suitable stretch of the River Avon.

After some research it was found out that the land was owned by a Mr Smith-Ryland, Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire and a keen supporter of youth sport.

Once a suitable stretch of river was found for the Boathouse to be built on, the club set about purchasing a few boats and oars.

The first boat entered under the name UWBC was a IV- Bow: Godfrey Bishop 2: John Fawthrop 3: Dave Brown (ex Bedford Modern School) Stroke: Diegan Morris (ex Radley College) Coach: Henry Hatton (Leander and Stratford RC) Land training began at Woodlands School, Coventry (the university currently had no sports centre).

Ursus was set up in 2002 by alumni Ken Loveday and Mark Williams with the help of the executive committee for that year.

Alumni of the club include Boat Race winner Ben Ellison[4][11] and Olympic rower Tom Solesbury.

[7] In 2012 they began donating proceeds from sales of the calendar as well as related media and merchandise to Sport Allies, an independent charity created by them 'to reach out to young people challenged by bullying, homophobia or low self-esteem'.

[13] In 2011 the women's team began producing a similar calendar featuring its rowers,[14] sharing proceeds with Macmillan Cancer Support.