Scottish Care home residents take to the water for sailing challenge

Ranging in age from their late eighties to 99, a group of residents from the Gibson House care home in St Andrews took up the challenge of a sailing trip at Lochore Meadows. For many of those in the group, it was the first time they had gone sailing. Gibson staff member Peta Cunningham said the group included Ellen Scott, who went flying on her 90th birthday, and Ailie Gunn, who turned 99 on Monday. She said the trip was organised through Fife Sailability. The club was formed in June 2012 and is affiliated to RYA Sailability Scotland, which supplied the boats. The club is independent and, through membership fees, self-financing. Based at Lochore Meadows, which is a UK Sailability Centre of Excellence, there is a specially designed Challenger dinghy and an excellent core of volunteer instructors. People with almost any disability can be catered for, from the age of eight to 80 and beyond.