All aboard sail campaign

The only female sailing school in the UK has backed a “ground-breaking” national campaign to get more girls aboard boats. The Royal Yachting Association’s (RYA) Girls for Sail programme is hoping Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign can inspire women to take on the challenge of sailing. The RYA, which has centres in Shoreham and Rye, has set up its programme under the watch of Girls For Sail principal Annie O’Sullivan who said the campaign was vital in attracting women to the possibilities sport can offer beyond simply keeping fit. She added: “This campaign puts women at the heart of decision-making for how they exercise and it’s trying to break down the barriers that stop women from taking that first step to getting active.” She continued: “I set up Girls For Sail for the same reason. I’m passionate about encouraging women to try a sport that isn’t always perceived as being female-friendly. But it is and we’ve proved it. We’ve taught thousands of women that sailing can be one of the most fun, liberating and confidence-building sports that they could try.” The Sport England campaign, which has already been described as ground-breaking, is also backed by sporting greats and celebrities including Clare Balding, Dame Kelly Holmes and Sussex’s own Sally Gunnell. Girls For Sail founder Annie, whose firm is based at Shepard’s Wharf Marina in Cowes and in St Lucia in the Caribbean, added: “We already do whatever we can to encourage women to participate in sport but this campaign will be an enormous help in making sure that this is a national call to arms. “We will be hosting a Ladies Who Launch evening to introduce anyone who might be interested in dipping their toe in the water with us in February and we’d love to see as many people as possible come along.” Visit www.girlsforsail.com or call 01983 282867.