Princess Anne launches safety boat

The Princess Royal visited Hykeham Sailability, Lincoln, to launch a new safety boat for the organisation. Hykeham Sailability “organises sailing for anybody with a disability and is part of the Royal Yachting Association. It encourages sailing at all levels from absolute beginner to those who represent their country at the Paralympics.” Princess Anne launched the new boat, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sleaford, as Patron of the Royal Yachting Association: Hyekham is part of the Association’s Sailability scheme. The boat will help provide additional safety to those disabled people who sail there and was partially funded by the Rotary Club to the tune of £6,500. Rotarian Kevin Roberts said: “This boat will enable further groups of disabled would be sailors to access and enjoy the freedom of sailing.”* The Princess Royal chatted with members of the club and cut a birthday cake in celebration of the organisation’s fifth birthday.

Sail along to club’s open day

Did the Paralympics inspire you to be more active? Or are you looking for a new outdoors activity where everyone is equal. Northampton Sailability is hosting its annual open day on Saturday, August 3, at its base at Pitsford reservoir. Everyone is welcome and you can have a go at sailing for free from 10am to 3pm. Northampton Sailability is an established RYA Sailability site providing opportunities for disabled people to learn to sail and sail regularly as part of the national Sailability programme run by the sport’s national governing body, the RYA. The club has a fleet of boats designed especially for disabled sailors, and no previous sailing experience is necessary, just bring a sense of adventure and fun. RYA Sailability is renowned for the strength of its volunteers so if you have got time to offer to enable others to get afloat then come along and find out how you could get involved. You never need to have stepped into a boat in your life. Refreshments will be available throughout the day with strawberries and Pimms and fruit punch at lunchtime. No booking is required. Northampton Sailability is a recognised RYA Training Centre, and about 200 people regularly sail with the club. For more details visit www.northamptonsailability.org.uk

Marine festival at Conwy will help establish Wales' seafaring credentials

A NEW sailing event held in North Wales will help boost Wales' reputation among sailors. The All Wales Boat Show, held between marinas at Deganwy and Conwy, will help establish Wales as one of the best places in the world for sailing, according to Steve Morgan - chief executive of the Welsh Yachting Association. The show includes a £4million line-up of world-class boats - including a luxury cruiser, the Portofino 40, used by James Bond. Mr Morgan was one several guests at the event launch, which took place this morning (Wednesday) He said: “This show provides an excellent platform to promote and celebrate the marine leisure industry and is in the perfect location to showcase the marvellous scenery and sailing waters of North Wales. “Marine leisure is a key industry for Wales and events like this add to its importance. Wales’s Deputy Skills and Technology Minister Ken Skates, who opened the show, said: “Why anyone would need to go abroad I don’t know. “Wales, and in particular this area, has some real advantages which I call the three big Cs – the cost of sailing is less, it has a coastline you would struggle to find better anywhere and the clarity of its water."

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Crew needed for sailing adventure

Young people in the North West can be nominated for one of 10 free places to join a yachting adventure on the Irish Sea. Winners will join the Ocean Youth Trust (OYT) North on-board James Cook, its 70-foot purpose built sail training yacht, during August, for its Irish Sea Adventure Challenge. Now the charity wants to hear from schools, colleges and youth work agencies in the North West to nominate deserving young people, aged 12 to 19, to win a spot on the voyages. No previous sailing experience is required and all equipment will be provided. Steve Lennon, general manager OYT North, said: "The Irish Sea Adventure Challenge is an exciting new project aimed at providing opportunity for young people in the North West to experience adventure under sail first hand. "If you know someone who loves adventure and deserves to have a fantastic time then we'd like you to nominate them to join our crews this summer." The competition is part of a drive to re-establish sail training opportunities for young people in the North West of England, including Cumbria, following the closure of Ocean Youth Trust Northwest, a trust which provided sail training on the Greater Manchester Challenge yacht. OYT North is committed to expanding its operations in the North West and will base James Cook between Whitehaven and Barrow-in-Furness for three weeks in August. The trust will run the Irish Sea Adventure Challenge voyages and hold a series of Open Days for schools, colleges and organisations interested in finding out more about the charity's work with young people. The winners of the competition will have the chance to learn from Grace Metcalfe, skipper of James Cook and winner of the 2013 International Young Sail Trainer of the Year award from Sail Training International. Grace, from Garsdale, in Cumbria, had never set foot on a boat before sailing with OYT North as an 18-year-old in 2003 and became the youngest skipper in the UK sail training fleet when she took command of James Cook in 2008. Grace said: "Coming on an OYT North voyage is about much more than just learning to tie knots or taking the wheel for a short time, it's about stepping out of your comfort zone and pushing yourself a little. It's also about making great friends and seeing incredible sights like dolphins riding the bow wave and the sun setting over the sea." Young people sailing aboard James Cook learn how to navigate, set sails and take the helm. To nominate a young person send an email stating - in fewer than 200 words - why the nominee deserves a place, to Rob Browell, at office@oytnorth.org.uk. Nominators must include their name, address, telephone number and contact details for the organisation they represent. Entries close at midnight on August 1. Individuals can book a voyage with OYT North by contacting Rob directly.

Disabled sailor looks abroad for round the world bid sponsorship

DISABLED sailing star Geoff Holt is looking abroad for sponsorship for his bid to sail around the world after failing to attract the cash from British businesses. Mr Holt, from Shedfield, has been planning the bid to become the first disabled sailor to circumnavigate the globe for the past two years. But despite his impressive pedigree he has struggled to find sponsorship for his latest record-breaking attempt. The 46-year-old quadriplegic already holds several records and has won numerous awards – he was the first disabled person to sail single-handed around Britain in 2007 and followed that up sailing unassisted across the Atlantic in 2010. Later that year he was made an MBE for his services to disabled sailing. He said: ‘The total cost of the project will be in the £3m to £5m bracket, but it’s not all necessarily from one company, it would be a whole range of sponsors. ‘But we haven’t been able to get the sponsors in this country, so I am looking at taking another disabled person with me.’ As a result Mr Holt is looking at bringing paraplegic French yachtsman and Paralympic table tennis player, Philippe Durieux, onboard with him. ‘I went to a boatshow in Paris and met someone who knew him and they put us in touch,’ he added. ‘He knows none of us are going anywhere without the sponsorship, and I’m not getting anywhere with British corporate sponsorship, so we’re widening the net. ‘With a Frenchman on the project it could attract French companies – the French love their sailing and are really supportive of it. ‘Their companies seem to be more prepared to get involved. But if British companies want to sponsor me, I’d more than gladly talk with them. Mr Holt has been wheelchair-bound since a diving accident when he was 18. It left him paralysed from the chest down and with only limited use in his arms. Any businesses interested in backing Mr Holt can contact him through his website, geoffholt.com

"sailing saved my life" by Hilary Lister

Sailing gives me a sense of freedom that I never thought would be possible again .. Hilary Lister had her life worked out from an early age. It was all planned, she was going to be a biochemist. She knew which exams she needed to pass, what grades she had to get, even where she wanted to work! Simple. Just stick to the plan. Growing up in Hampshire with three brothers resulted in Hilary being a bit of a tomboy. Hilary went to a boarding school just outside of Deal, in Kent when she was 8. She enjoyed an active lifestyle and participated in a variety of sports. Particular favourites were hockey, swimming and netball (captaining her school team in each sport). Hilary also fenced and was placed 3rd in 1984 in the Kent Under 13 competition. Hilary also enjoyed rugby and canoeing. When Hilary was 11, she began to experience discomfort in her knees whenever she played her beloved sport. It started with shooting pains in her legs, which she first dismissed as growing pains. By the time Hilary turned 13, she was in pain everyday and by the age of 15, she could no longer walk. Not something a teenager needs at that stage in her life. Doctors put Hilary in plaster from ankle to thigh and she was given a wheelchair. This meant Hilary was unable to return to school, which was difficult as it was the beginning of her GCSE year. Hilary tried as much as possible to lead a ‘normal’ life - albeit on 4 wheels rather than 2 legs! She continued to play the clarinet with the Oxford County Youth Orchestra. By the time she was 23 she had toured all over Europe and was regularly playing in venues such as the Festival and Royal Albert Halls in London. Hilary also gained her Teaching Diploma in 1991 from the Guildhall School of Music. She won the only music scholarship for sixth form entrants to the King’s School, Canterbury which allowed her to go back to school. Hilary has an amazing sense of not letting life pass her by, which became evident in her teenage years. Despite her body slowly giving up on her and becoming paraplegic, Hilary did not sit in her chair doing nothing. She started swimming and working out in the gym several times a week. Hilary’s commitment saw her swim fast enough to qualify for the Great Britain Paralympics squad. However she could not commit to the training schedule due to her desire to complete her school exams. After all, she was going to be a biochemist! It was then discovered Hilary had a progressive neurological disorder, diagnosed as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), which meant that over the coming years, as Hilary grew into a young woman, she would gradually begin to lose the use of almost all of her body whilst still leaving her in incredible pain. Hilary studied biochemistry at Jesus College, Oxford receiving a high 2.1, despite having to dictate her papers whilst flat on her back with an epidural drip on her spine. Hilary was offered a DPhil position at Oxford but chose to move to the University of Kent in Canterbury, to be near Clifford, her husband whom Hilary married in 1999. Just before she married Clifford, Hilary began to lose the use of her hands and arms. Hilary could no longer drive, continue her work as a biochemist, or play her clarinet. More than that, the most basic tasks, like eating and washing, suddenly had to be done for her. With her condition worsening, Hilary was forced to give up her life bit by bit - her mobility, her career as a biochemist, a secondary career as a clarinet teacher and most importantly, her independence. After losing everything she had always worked so hard to achieve, Hilary was housebound. After four years of complete inactivity and total dependence on others, she began to weigh up whether the quality of her life made it worthwhile continuing. During these darkest moments she was tempted to end it all but then there was a miracle. A friend introduced her to sailing. It was the first time she had left the house in three months. "Going out of the front door that day was the hardest thing I'd ever done", she says. Within a few minutes of being at the lake however, out in the wind and sunshine again, she had fallen in love with sailing and had found a new reason for living. It provided a fresh impetus and transformed life for Hilary. Hilary’s condition now is such that she is quadriplegic, only able to move her head, eyes and mouth. She lives in Kent with her husband Clifford and their chocolate labrador Lotti. Her home is wheelchair friendly and equipped with modern technology allowing her to use her computer through voice recognition. Through a switch she operates with her forehead, Hilary is able to control some of her environment, like changing channels on the television, answering the phone and opening the front door. However, she relies totally on her husband, carers and friends to do so much of her life for her. When Hilary says "sailing saved my life", she means it ...

Sailing success for inspirational Natasha

INSPIRATIONAL teenage sailor Natasha Lambert has completed her cross-Channel voyage today (Monday). The 16 year old, who has cerebral palsy and controls her specially-adapted boat Miss Isle Too using her mouth, set out from Boulogne at around 7.30am. She took just four and a half hours to reach Dover, two hours ahead of time, having sailed through swells of up to two metres and Force 4 and 5 winds. She has raised more than £2,000 on her online fundraising page so far, which will be split between the RNLI, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and Wetwheels Solent. Natasha's mum, Amanda, who sailed alongside in the Wetwheels Solent boat said ahead of the trip: "Natasha took a long time to get to sleep, but she eventually did for around three or four hours. She was very excited and nervous, it was a fear of the unknown, we did double check if she wanted to go ahead and she said 'Yes, yes definitely.’ "Gary was being very practical about it, but I was just being a mum, I was very nervous." added Amanda. After completing the voyage, Natasha arrived in Dover to a hero's welcome, where hundreds of cheering well-wishers had gathered. Gary said: "It was foggy this morning and it could have shut us down, but once we set off the conditions were perfect. "She is very happy with herself that she completed it and did not let anyone down. She was completely shattered and exhausted, but she is feeling fine now. "We are very proud of her."

Disabled teenager sailing English Channel controlling yacht with her TONGUE

A disabled schoolgirl is to sail across the English Channel – controlling the yacht with her tongue. Wheelchair-bound Natasha Lambert was born with athetoid cerebral palsy, which affects her limbs and speech. But the determined 16-year-old will leave her chair behind to sail her 21ft adapted yacht from Boulogne to Dover. Her father Gary developed a device, utilising a straw inside a mountain bike helmet, to help Natasha sail using just her mouth to steer. Electrician Gary said: “From the moment she first experienced sailing, Natasha fell in love with the water. “She was determined to find a way to sail herself. I am so immensely proud of her.” The French Connection challenge will see Natasha, from Cowes, Isle of Wight, raise money for the RNLI, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and Wetwheels Solent. She hopes to complete the 25-mile trip on Monday in seven hours. Last year, she sailed solo around the Isle of Wight and raised £17,000. Mum Amanda said: “Natasha can’t walk across the room yet she will be sailing from one country to the other.”

Free mooring for south coast sailing charity catamaran

Poole Harbour Commissioners is supporting a local charity, Sports Forum for the Disabled, by providing them with a free permanent berth. Sports Forum for the Disabled provides sailing opportunities for the disabled and their carers on its 10-metre offshore sailing catamaran, Knoticat. Knoticat, , based at Port of Poole Marina, is run entirely by volunteers and relies on donations and grants from charitable trusts. Last year the Poole-based charity took more than 500 people sailing in Poole Harbour and along the Jurassic Coast. Jim Stewart, chief executive of Poole Harbour Commissioners, said: 'We are delighted we can help support a local charity that is so valuable in what they offer for the disabled. 'Sports Forum for the Disabled provides a real hands-on sailing experience and we hope that by berthing at our award-winning Port of Poole Marina they will be able to provide even more sailing opportunities throughout the year.' Knoticat's chief skipper, Ian Fisher, added: 'The free mooring in Port of Poole Marina will make an enormous difference to us and we are extremely grateful to Poole Harbour Commissioners for its support. 'It's from generous donations like this that mean we can continue to help the disabled." The catamaran, which can sail a maximum of 11 persons, including two crew, has been adapted for ‘roll on, roll off' wheelchair access throughout. All the ropes, lines and controls lead to one wheelchair adapted steering position and passengers are encouraged to steer and sail the boat with guidance from the charity's highly experienced skippers and crew. Weather permitting, the Knoticat operates five days a week and trips are free of charge. For booking enquiries, call 07889 970702 or email booking@sailing4all.org.

Kids, Learn to Sail at Youth Sailing @ Chasewater

Kids, what could be better on a summer Saturday morning than messing about on the water and learning to sail with your mates? Youth Sailing @ Chasewater's latest RYA Start Sailing sessions for Under 18s kick off on the weekend of 6-7 July giving you to perfect chance to find out what all the on-the-water fuss is about. Sailing has everything; whether you want to get involved in a cool, sociable sport, which can be enjoyed by mums and dads too, or really ramp up the adrenaline by eventually getting into racing and attempting to become the next Ben Ainslie! RYA Start Sailing is an introduction to sailing providing all you need to know to get afloat and learn the foundation skills of the sport. You will soon be sailing on your own, as sessions include starting, stopping and turning, launching and recovering, rigging and safety. All equipment, such as buoyancy aids and training boats, are supplied, you just need a change of clothes, old trainers and a towel. Youth Sailing @ Chasewater (YS@C) is a registered charity offering a fun, friendly way for 10-18 year olds to sail, whether learning from scratch or improving skills. It is a recognised RYA Training Centre meaning it conforms to the highest standards of safety and quality. The club meets on Saturdays (9.30am-1pm) to mid-October, and youngsters can follow the RYA Youth Sailing Scheme, from Stages 1-4, while also getting involved in junior racing and club sailing with its parent club, Chase SC. The RYA Start Sailing sessions cost £65 per person, with two follow on Saturday morning sessions at YS@C included in the price. It costs just £5 per week to then carry on sailing at YS@C, which includes the use of kit (boat, wetsuits, spray tops, buoyancy aid etc). Mark Buckingham, Chief Instructor at YS@C, said: "We've just successfully run our first Under 18 RYA Start Sailing sessions. All the kids that did the course have come back sailing with us at YS@C and we hope to see lots more of them in the future too. "For youngsters to stick with sailing and not trade it in for the next fad, it's got to be fun and social. They want to be with their mates so if they are sailing too it's more fun. Kids don't sail to get fit, but once they discover they get better by being fitter it all becomes part of developing an active, healthy lifestyle that happens to come from doing a sport they love." Full details on how to sign up for the RYA Start Sailing Under 18 sessions, and information on all other courses and activities being run at Chase SC this year, can be found at www.chasesc.org.uk or email m.buckingham@btinternet.com

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