Cast your vote on the appointment of the Official Charity

Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week © Rick Tomlinson

Cowes Week Limited (CWL) and Aberdeen Asset Management are working in partnership to appoint an official charity for the world-famous regatta, Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week.

An official charity is appointed in order that fundraising activity during the event can be conducted in a focused way and in July it was announced that a new charity would be sought for the period from 2014 as Toe in the Water reached the final year of their three year tenure in 2013. Charities were invited to register their interest with CWL.

A range of applications were received prior to the deadline of the 4 October and representatives from both CWL and Aberdeen Asset Management have completed a full evaluation of all responses. As a result, a shortlist of three charities has been determined (see below).

Voting is simple and all you need to do to cast your vote is visit the charity page on the event website: aamcw.co/charity. The deadline for feedback is Friday 8 November.

The Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation

Andrew Simpson was a gold and silver Olympic medallist, and America's Cup professional, who tragically lost his life in a training accident on San Francisco Bay in May 2013. Andrew, or 'Bart' to his friends, was the person that everyone turned to for guidance, from beginners to people at the top of their game. Supporting the next generation was something he was extremely passionate about. Founded by Sir Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy OBE & Andrew's wife Leah, the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation will work to honour Andrew's life and legacy by encouraging youngsters into sailing, as well as providing apprenticeships for those who are aspiring to follow careers in the industry.

RYA Sailability

RYA Sailability is the Royal Yachting Association's (RYA) charitable arm, which encourages and supports people with disabilities to take up sailing and facilitates sites to develop sailing opportunities. Since 2005, it has enabled over 20,000 people with a disability to experience sailing and to sail regularly.

UKSA

UKSA is a youth charity offering transformational opportunities to young people through sailing and watersports. Their work is focused on youth development, schools and groups, and professional training. Their Back to Work programmes are proven to encourage young people to move off benefits and into employment. Their Unlocking Potential courses show young offenders a wider world – 91% of participants did not re-offend. Their engagement programmes help young people re-engage with mainstream education.

CWL and Aberdeen Asset Management would now like feedback from the sailing fraternity and the event community on which of these charities they would most like to see supported at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. These responses will then be factored in to the next stage of the decision-making process which will be an interview with each of the three charities, prior to a final decision being reached.