Woolverstone Project celebrates 20 years of helping disabled people to sail

On the face of it, sailing is something of a physical activity, requiring patience, dedication and a bracing pair of hardy sea-legs. But the Woolverstone Project in Suffolk has spent the last 20 years dispelling that myth, with its extraordinary band of volunteers who have turned taking to the water into an opportunity of a lifetime for so many disabled people. Formed in 1993, the Woolverstone project began life as a branch of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club. The brainchild of then commodore Margaret Howard, she was keen to provide the opportunity and facilities for any person, with any disability whatsoever to take up sailing. But with the huge popularity the project received, it became its own registered charity in 1995 and now 20 years later, it is still a centrepiece hobby for hundreds of youngsters. “When the people who started it dreamed it up, they didn’t know a thing about disabled sailing,” says senior instructor Peter Hibberd. “They got their initial experience through working with the Thomas Wolsey School, and we have grown with the help and experience of people like the Thomas Wolsey.” Be it sensory difficulties or physical limitations, the project is proud to say that it has never turned anyone away, and as a chat with senior instructor Peter Hibberd reveals, there are no signs of work on the project letting up soon. “We have a fleet of various specially designed boats allowing people to sail whatever their disability,” he says. “From 2012 to 2014 we saw a 45% growth, with 1,500 sailing opportunities from 237 sessions increasing to 2,178 opportunities from 264 sessions. “We are proud of this because sailing is a great leveller. Our specialist boats allow sailors the freedom of sailing on the same basis as any able-bodied sailor.” One of the schools to work with the Woolverstone Project regularly is Stone Lodge Academy in Ipswich, where staff have been impressed by how much the sailing tuition does for their pupils’ confidence. Claire Hale, PE co-ordinator at the academy, said: “We have been coming every year for the last 10 years or so. We have got eight of our older children on six or seven week sailing courses and the instructors are fantastic because our children have moderate learning difficulties and they work with them so well. “They can listen and learn from other adults, and the confidence they get is invaluable – last year one parent couldn’t believe her son had taken to the water and sailed by himself.” Now for its 20th year as a charity, the Wheelyboat project has been launched to help the club acquire a new state-of-the-art craft that will transform the way they can help disabled people go sailing. Allowing those with wheelchairs easier access, the Wheelyboat will complement improvements to the pontoon at Alton Water to get more people out on the water at a time, and join other recent acquisition Venture, which gets more people out on the water, and has greater stability to prevent capsizing. Mr Hibberd added: “It’s a fantastic boat, and it extends the bounds and the variety of the sailing experience we provide.” For a first taste of the new boat, the club appeared at the East Anglian Boat Show at Woolverstone Marina in June, where the Wheelyboat made an appearance. And to kick off the 20th anniversary celebrations, a special event was held in May to launch the Friends of the Woolverstone Project, and included the Seamark Nunn Cup which saw teams from 10 local sailing clubs take part in a race to help raise money for the cause. As part of the Friends, supporters will be helping to maintain boats and safety equipment and help the project develop new opportunities for young and adult sailors, while the Friends themselves can attend regular events, help provide assistance and keep up to date with the project’s work via a newsletter. But it is clear how much the opportunity to sail means for many people who thought they may never have been able to take part in such activities. It’s a fact that is not lost on patron and TV personality Paul Heiney, pictured left. “I have been lucky enough to sail for most of my life, so I know the deep sense of freedom that comes from being on the water, and the satisfaction it gives,” he said. “I have seen people return from trips, and even though they might not be able to speak the words to express it, the look of triumph on their faces says it for them.” Indeed, such is the project’s established place in the community, that in 2003, the cause received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee award for services to the community, and it is the community feel that Mr Hibberd feels is at the heart of what the project is all about. He adds: “The way we all feel is that we all realise we are part of one big community – there’s no definition for someone to be a part of the community whether they are disabled or fully able. Equality is our watchword.” But with the way the project has gone from strength to strength, they are always on the lookout for volunteers, regardless of their experience. For anyone interested in volunteering, or to find out more about the project, visit woolverstoneproject.org.uk

Moray pupils sailing to international success in boat race

Pupils from a Moray public school are hoping to sail to victory in an international boat race after triumphing in its first leg, from Belfast to Norway. Seven youngsters from Gordonstoun boarded the school’s 80ft Ocean Spirit of Moray vessel to compete in the 2015 Tall Ships Race, organised by the Sail Training International group. The crew defeated more than 50 other teams to cross the finish line in the contest last Friday, reaching the town of Alesund on the Norwegian coast. The group, which boasts seven students among its members, sailed 707 nautical miles at an average speed of 8.1 knots. Related Articles The crew is now journeying through Norway’s famous fjords and will embark on the second leg of the race on Saturday, July 25. Teams will depart from Kristiansand, in the south of Norway, to Aalborg in Denmark. Gordonstoun skipper and sail training coordinator Ian Lerner said: “The trip has been pretty tough, we had some very strong winds and very rough seas. “But the crew all worked very, very hard to help us win a fantastic first leg.” Gordonstoun principal Simon Reid added: “It is excellent to hear of the success of our students in the first leg of the Tall Ships Race. “Taking part in something as unique as this is a wonderful opportunity for them, and we are all really proud of their achievement. “The race is a great way for young people to learn teamwork and it’s a great adventure.” Sail training has been part of the Gordonstoun curriculum since the school was founded in 1934. The Ocean Spirit of Moray yacht is owned by the school and is mainly used for sea training. Students undergo a programme of seamanship on the school’s locally built cutters at Hopeman harbour prior to taking part in week-long voyages on the Ocean Spirit of Moray.

Two Belfast teens recovering from cancer get a taste for sailing thanks to Dame Ellen MacArthur

Danielle McGriskin and Craig Lindsay took part in a sailing trip with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust After months of gruelling treatment, two Belfast teens recovering from cancer were given a treat on the high seas. Danielle McGriskin and Craig Lindsay were both invited to take part in the sailing trip organised by the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust which was set up to give young people in recovery from cancer the chance to rebuild their confidence through sailing. The pair joined 13 other young people to make up the crew of one of the Trust's yachts for a four day adventure on the Firth of Clyde in Scotland earlier this month. Danielle, 18, from Lisburn, finished cancer treatment in January last year for a Grade 2 Astrocytoma Tumour at Bristol Children's Hospital. This was her first time sailing with the Trust and she said it had been brilliant. "We've sailed around some beautiful islands and worked together very closely – we've really become like one big family," she said. Craig Lindsay, 20, from East Belfast, finished treatment in June last year for Testicular Cancer at Belfast City Hospital. He said the trip had given him a taste for sailing and helped him move out of his comfort zone. MORE: "Check yourself - I am living proof it can happen at any age" says East Belfast teen who survived testicular cancer "This trip was recommended to me by my social worker from CLIC Sargent who knew I was going through a tough time and thought it would be beneficial to meet people my own age with cancer," said Craig. "I've got a taste for sailing now – I've gained confidence by speaking openly with others about cancer. To be out of my comfort zone with people who have been through similar experiences has been great." Craig Lindsay Craig Lindsay Sailing onboard 42-48 foot cruising yachts, the Trust trips provide a chance for the young people to test themselves in a safe and supportive environment, encouraging them to work as a team and get involved in everything from helming the boat to cooking. During the trips, the Trust fleet navigates the waters of the Firth of Clyde, making various stopovers including Port Bannatyne on the Isle of Bute, the National Sailing Centre at Great Cumbrae and back to Largs, giving the young people the opportunity to test their new skills on the water. Launched in 2003, the aim of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is to give young people in recovery from cancer the chance to rebuild their confidence through sailing. Dame Ellen, who tries to spend a day on as many trips as possible, said: "The mental and social fall-out from cancer can be just as devastating as the physical illness. Everything we do is about building confidence, self-esteem and having fun together." In its 12th year, the Trust has grown into a national charity, taking young people aged between 8-24 who are recovering from cancer on four-day sailing trips.

MSP makes a splash at St Mary’s Loch

Borders MSP John Lamont visited St Mary’s Loch Sailing Club to see – and christen – the club’s new RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) rescue boat. During the visit, which took place during the club’s annual training camp for junior members, Mr Lamont was taken out on the rescue boat. He also watched some of the training sessions and met sailing instructors and junior sailors. The club was able to buy the boat as a result of funding from Awards for All Scotland. Club commodore Alison Robertson Morrish told The Southern: “The RIB will be particularly useful in enabling instructors to get much closer to sailors to highlight teaching points. “It will be used on a regular basis for training and coaching purposes, and will be of great value during our annual summer camp, which we run for younger members (eight to 16-year-olds). We are currently working with RYA Scotland with a view to running a youth regatta for sailors across Scotland in 2016. “In addition to supporting the training needs, the RIB will provide us with improved rescue cover.”

Marazion Hosts Major Sailing Contest

Mounts Bay Sailing Club in Marazion has announced it will host the Neil Pryde UKLA National and Open Laser Championships in August. The competition will be intense when the three Laser fleets start their National Championship races on Sunday 2nd August at 12 noon. The week-long event involves two Olympic sailing classes of dinghy, the Laser Standard and the Laser Radial so the standard of sailing promises to be very high indeed. The third fleet involves the 4.7 fleet which is for younger or lighter sailors and will include some of the stars of the future. Approximately 200 of the single handed dinghies will be taking to the waters with two races scheduled for each day with a midday scheduled start on the first day and 1100 each day thereafter until Friday 7th August. The boats are strict one design dinghies and as identical as manufacturing tolerances allow, meaning that tactics, boat handling skills and fitness are paramount in all three fiercely contested fleets. Entrants will be travelling from all corners of the British Isles to sail in Mount's Bay and already there are entries from New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, Serbia and a large contingent from Ireland. In addition to the three types of boat participating there are a number of other categories of competition within the racing relating to age and experience and there is even a family prize which will involve parents and their offspring competing in their respective fleets. Local interest will focus on Denzil May (Mount's Bay SC) who is the current Masters National Champion and a National Youth Champion in the 1990's. Denzil will be a strong contender for the overall trophy in the Standard fleet and he is shortly off to Canada to compete in the World Masters Championship so he will certainly be "match fit" by the time the local event starts. Mount Bay SC member John Woolcock, who usually sails in the warm waters of Dubai (UAE), will be worth watching as he usually features at the front of the fleet. Other local contenders include Kian Andrews (Mount's Bay and Penzance Sailing Clubs) who is a young sailor with a very bright future. Kian has been making impressive progress over the last couple of years and Nick Stoten (Mounts Bay SC and Nick Downing (Penzance SC) are also expected to feature in the Standard fleet. The other fleets have entries from Mylor, St. Mawes and Restronguet Sailing Clubs so there is a strong local participation as well as a national and international interest. The sporting action is also supplemented by a full social programme to ensure that the competitors fully enjoy their visit to West Cornwall and Marazion and the warm welcome and keen competition has resulted in Marazion being a very attractive destination with a worldwide reputation for top class dinghy championships.

Windsurfer Cameron Coghill helped by council grant

A talented windsurfer is one of the beneficiaries of a Nottinghamshire County Council grant that helps to fund athletes at the highest level. Cameron Coghill, 18, of Bleasby, who has been competing for eight years, first received support from the Sports Fund six years ago. His mother, Julie Coghill, said: “The grant is a small but useful contribution and helps towards the cost of travelling equipment and entry fees. “Cameron has been in the national squads for the past five years and competes regularly around the UK and Europe, so something like this can be vital.” Coghill, a member of Notts Sailing Club, was 34th in the Youth Men Open Trophy at the RSX European Championships in Sicily, the second-highest British competitor. He will next be in action at the World Championships in Poland later this month. The council grant totals £400 and talented athletes who have represented their country in a sport recognised by Sport England in the past eight months can apply. Other athletes in the Advertiser area to have received funding include 16-year-old tennis player Dominic West, of Newark, ranked 800th in ITF Junior Tennis. Another windsurfer to have received help from the fund is Emily Hall, 17, a member of the British Youth Sailing team, who has represented her country at both the World and European junior championships. Joyce Bosnjak, chairman of the council’s grant aid committee, said: “Our Sports Fund grant schemes play a vital role, both in creating opportunities for people to take part in sport at a grassroots level and through funding our most talented athletes. “Nottinghamshire’s reputation as the sporting county is well deserved, but it’s important to remember that the success being enjoyed by our athletes and teams does not come about by accident. “Only through the dedication and hard work of our athletes — and just as importantly, their families, coaches, clubs and schools — has the county been able to enjoy the level of success that it has in recent years. “I am proud that Nottinghamshire County Council continues to value sport and play an important role in helping local athletes and clubs succeed, as it has for many years.”

COWES-BASED GIRLS FOR SAIL TO APPEAR ON SKY 1 SERIES

Cowes-based Girls For Sail, the UK’s only sailing school dedicated to teaching women to sail, is to feature in new Sky One series, Fright Club. The show, with the backing and support of psychologists, aims to help members of the public face down their fears. And the episode featuring Girls For Sail founder and sailing industry expert Annie O’Sullivan will air on Wednesday (24th June) at 20:00. The six-part series takes ten people who have agreed to face their fears using exposure therapy and introduces them to expert mentors and psychologists who help them to recover from their anxieties. Girls For Sail founder Annie, who is based in Cowes, was chosen by producers at production company Maverick TV for her experience in training novice sailors to become confident and comfortable on the water. Her mentoring programme with Girls For Sail has taken beginners from their first moments onboard all the way to trans-Atlantic sailors. She has trained thousands of women to sail since the company launched in 1999. Annie will feature in episode four, entitled WATER, where she helps two people to overcome their aquaphobia. She said: “It was incredibly rewarding to be able to help people face their fears and learn how to enjoy being around a body of water. “It was different from my day job of training women to sail but the same techniques of calm and careful tuition matched carefully to their needs on the day provided great results. It was a whirlwind action packed and surprising emotional experience.” A spokesman for Fright Club creators Maverick TV said: “Fright Club sees people with the same crippling phobia join forces to overcome their fear once and for all. “Each week ten fellow sufferers will take part in an extreme form of exposure therapy. They have just three days to tackle their fear head on but if they succeed it will change their lives forever.” In WATER Annie works with the group and two psychologists, Richard Reid and Becky Spelman, to help those overcome their fear of water. In this episode, ten people who are so terrified of water that they won’t walk by a river, get in a boat or, in some cases, can’t even watch nature programmes on TV if they include scenes of rivers and lakes, try to overcome their phobia by teaming up to fight the fear. To do this they, and the rest of the group, will tackle real-life jobs that will bring them into close contact with water – under the watchful eye of sailing expert and mentor Annie – manoeuvring a canal boat through a lock and undertaking professional lifeboat training in storm conditions. Finally, they will go out sea. Annie added: “In my everyday life I work with groups of strangers who all turn up to a sailing event full of anticipation, eager to learn and who leave refreshed and rejuvenated realising that they can do it. Fright Club was the same only the stakes seemed much higher. “As a yachtswoman, I regularly work with people who fear something and there is nothing more rewarding to have helped that person feel more confident as a direct result of your help. “The principles we applied to helping the group overcome their fears of water are the exact same ones we use onboard, everyday. The positive group dynamics helped each individual. It was fascinating to watch each person face their fears head on and beat them bit by bit.” Girls For Sail celebrates sixteen years training women to sail and race in the UK, across the Atlantic and in the Caribbean. Thousands of women have learned to sail with the Isle of Wight firm since its launch in 1999. For more information about Girls For Sail visit www.girlsforsail.com.

Sutton Mill Adventure base sailing open day for Cerebral Palsy with RYA

Sutton reservoir is hoping to welcome some new visitors in a special initiative backed by the national sailing body. The Royal Yachting Association (RYA)supported by London 2012 Paralympic medalist and British Sailing Team sailor Niki Birrell, is hoping to get more people with cerebral palsy into the sport. On Saturday 4th July from 10am, The Mill Adventure Base is opening its doors for people with cerebral palsy to have a go at sailing as the centre runs free taster sessions in specially adapted boats. The Mill is a recognised RYA Sailability centre aimed at introducing people with disabilities into the activity and encouraging them to sail regularly. Born with cerebral palsy, Niki, now 28, is a five-time world sailing champion, and, with his sailing partner, Alexandra Rickham, is currently training towards Rio 2016. Niki said: “Sailing is one of the few sports where people with disabilities can compete on a completely level playing field as able-bodied people. The Mill’s cerebral palsy taster day is being supported by CP Sport, the country’s leading national disability sports organisation supporting people with cerebral palsy to reach their sporting potential. The Mill Adventure Base is a purpose built, urban adventure centre which is part of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Outdoor and Environmental Education Service and conforms to the highest standards of quality and safety. If you are an individual, family or local community group interested in getting involved in The Mill’s taster sessions call 01623 556110 or email:Outdoor.environmental@nottscc.gov.uk for more information or to book a place for the day. For more information about RYA Sailability visit www.rya.org.uk/sailability.

The Lizard lifeboatman to complete 900-mile solo sailing challenge

A MEMBER of the Lizard lifeboat crew is taking part in the Jester Baltimore Challenge single-handed yacht race from Plymouth to Baltimore in Ireland. Simon Fayers will then sail to a position just off the continental shelf, a round trip of almost 900 nautical miles, in his 26ft yacht. Simon, 53 and an experienced sailor who owns his yacht, Shebeca, has been a member of the lifeboat crew for years. He has taken part in a number of single-handed races but this time he will be completing his challenge without any electronic navigational aids, only using a sextant and compass. Mr Fayers hopes to complete the challenge in less than ten days, during which he will be celebrating his 54th birthday. He is also raising money for the lifeboat and the Fishermen's Mission. He said: "I've wanted to sail out to the continental shelf, where there's little commercial shipping, for a long time. "I always thought it would be really good to learn how to navigate using only a sextant, and this challenge was what spurred me on. "As a lifeboat crew member we get called to yachts which have been disabled and are unable to use their electronic navigational aids. "I think it's great to be able to use just the basics of a sextant, compass and chart." He is due to leave the Helford River on board Shebeca on Wednesday to sail to Plymouth before the race starts on June 14. Donations can be made at www.uk.virgingivingmoney.com/simonfayers

Hannah White sets Guinness World Record for solo crossing of English Channel

Hannah White has become the fastest person to cross the Channel in a single-handed dinghy. She completed the gruelling task in a foiling Moth. Starting from Cap de Gris in France, she landed in Dover, England, after crossing the 24 mile English channel in a record time of 3 hours, 44 minutes and 39 seconds. Hannah, a relative beginner in hydrofoil sailing, only started to learn how to master this unique boat in February. Training for this Channel crossing challenge is a precursor to her ultimate quest: to break the Women’s Speed Sailing World Record over one nautical mile next year in a unique, purpose-built sailing hydrofoil. A keen adventurer, Hannah has previously sailed the Atlantic solo three times, participated in the gruelling Haute Route Cycle Race across the French Alps and kayaked 205 miles across the rivers of England. She has been a Land Rover Global Ambassador since 2013. Hannah White said: “I’m much more used to an arduous 3000-mile slog across oceans as opposed to a 24-mile sprint across the Channel, so the transition has been a real eye-opener. Speed sailing requires a very different physiology to long distance races, so this was really an opportunity for me to build my skills over a shorter distance in a hydrofoiling boat”. Mark Cameron, Jaguar Land Rover Global Experiential Marketing Director said: “This Channel crossing highlights Hannah’s incredible ability to push herself beyond the limits of normal capability. As a global ambassador for Land Rover, Hannah embodies all the characteristics that are so central to our brand; strength, determination and an ability to go above and beyond.” Hannah will be attempting to break the Women’s Speed Sailing Record over one nautical mile in the first quarter of 2016 in Speedbird, her state-of-the-art, unique hydrofoil sailboat. Land Rover is collaborating in the development of the Speedbird boat, drawing from its unparalleled innovation, engineering expertise and industry-leading facilities to ensure the boat is capable of breaking the current world record. Hannah will be exhibiting the Speedbird boat at the Cardiff Act of the Extreme Sailing Series on the 18-21 June 2015.

Miss Isle sailor completes Capital Venture voyage

Inspirational disabled teenager Natasha Lambert has completed her voyage from the Isle of Wight to London using sip-puff technology. The young cerebral palsy sufferer, who is on a fundraising drive to start new sip-puff school for disabled sailors, reached central London’s only marina, St Katharine Docks today. Now the 17-year-old athertoid cerebral palsy sufferer, will swap her specialist boat for her Hart Wallker to complete a journey on foot around the Square Mile of the City of London. Natasha left her home port of Cowes on Saturday 23 May and sailed up the coast past Dover to reach London in her Artemis 20 Mini Transat boat Miss Isle, equipped with sip and puff technology designed by her father.The technology enables Natasha to manoeuvre her using a straw that turns the rudder right when sipped and left when puffed. Miss Isle’s Capital Venture aims to raise funds for a new charity being set-up to teach disabled people to sail using sip and puff technology at the ‘Miss Isle School of Sip-Puff sailing’. The event finale will be a charity fundraising reception held at St Katharine Docks. Capital Venture is the latest in what is becoming a long list of achievements for Natasha. In 2014, she undertook the ‘Sea and Summit’ challenge which saw her sailing more than 500 miles from Cowes to South Wales and climbing Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons. William Bowman, marina director at St Katharine Docks, said: ‘Natasha is a truly inspiring youngster who is raising awareness and money to create a new charity to help others with disabilities to learn to sail. ‘We would like to wish Natasha and her team every success, and are only too pleased to host the London leg of this fantastic challenge.’

Challenger sailing group given equipment boost

A HELENSBURGH sailing group for people with disabilities received a boost recently when it was given new equipment which will help members make better use of the water. Members and helpers from the Challenger Sailing group met to receive the launching trolley, which was made by Babcock Enterprises and given to the group free of charge. The trolley works by helping to launch the boats into the water and has a dolley wheel at the front, which allows for better manouevering into the water. Chris Jones, chief instructor at Helensburgh Sailing Club, said the new equipment would be a boost to the existing facilities at Helensburgh Sailing Club. He added: “Sailing is the only time they can compete on a level ground with able bodied people because once they’re in the water their disabilities don’t matter. “We cover a wide range of disabilities and we also have four men from the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme which is going to help out the users.” Helensburgh Challenger Group is a registered charity which was first formed 30 years ago and is the only group of its kind in Scotland. It currently has about eight active sailors and provides a range of facilities to enable disabled people to swim, including an RIB (rigid inflatable boat) – a kind of dinghy which the group purchased last year thanks to funding from the lottery, Waitrose and some contributions from local clubs. The RIB allows the instructors to go into into the water before the sailors so that they can guide the sailors back to shore if they get stuck. Aside from a team of instructors, the group also receives help from volunteers from schemes like the Duke of Edinburgh. Joanna Martin, the current chairwoman of the Challenger Sailing Group, said sailing was ‘therapeutic’. She added: “It’s absolutely a good thing to be involved with, it’s very social. "We hold a range of fundraising events throughout the year and have had barbecues as well as a swishathon, a ladies clothes swap event.” Joanna was a keen rower before she had an accident about nine years ago which put her in a wheelchair. She said it had been great to get into sailing. She added: “The trolley will be able to launch the boats into the water so it’s obviously something which we’ll be able to use for a long time to come.”

Stone dad takes well-earned rest during sailing challenge around the UK

DAD Michael Goodwin will take a well-earned two week rest as part of his bid to sail around the UK to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. The 59-year-old, from Stone, is one of a group of sailors taking on the challenge which is due to be completed in 2016. The team set off from Southampton on May 17 and has so far made it to Harwich, in Essex. Now the group will rest for two weeks before continuing on to Felixstowe, in Suffolk, on June 14. Michael – whose son Daniel, aged 34, suffers from Cystic Fibrosis – hopes to raise £6,000 for the charity.