Grant lands Sidmouth Sailing Club new dinghy

SIDMOUTH Sailing Club can splash out on a new vessel and will be given a storage boost thanks to a £2,950 grant. The match-funded amount, from the Sid Vale Association’s (SVA) Keith Owen Fund, will be spent on an adult training dinghy. SVA chairman Alan Darrant congratulated the club on the development of its facilities when he handed over a cheque on Sunday. The sailing club’s commodore, Steve Smith, expressed his gratitude and said: “Three years ago, the Keith Owen Fund was able to make a grant to purchase four RS Feva dinghies for youth training. This latest award will now enable the club to purchase an RS Vision Adult training dinghy, which will be ideal for training adult members. “We will also now be able to provide much needed improved storage facilities for the care and protection of our sailing craft, as the grant will be used for improved racking. This grant will be used to purchase the necessary materials, from which the voluntary help of our members will complete the work.” Mr Darrant said this was a good example of how the club and the SVA has worked together to improve a local facility. He invited any voluntary organisation seeking help with projects within the Sid Valley to apply for funding. More information can be found at www.sidvaleassociation.org.uk.