Local mum helps broaden appeal of youth sailing at Hayling Island

Hayling Island Sailing Club Youth Camping weekend 2014 © HISC

After six years on the HISC Youth Committee, the last two as Youth Rear Commodore, Anne Marie Wood and her team have been instrumental in making youth the largest growing section at Hayling Island Sailing Club as well as broadening its appeal by offering new initiatives designed to get children on the water in a number of fun and informal formats.

The HISC Youth section had always been a strong and vibrant part of the sailing club, particularly in the youth racing scene, so when Anne Marie Wood took over as Rear Commodore Youth in 2012 she decided to broaden its appeal and set up a progression programme for children that would suit all abilities and include a more fun and informal route for those not keen to embark on the racing programme.

One of the first new initiatives Anne Marie set up in 2008 was 'SEALS' which uses the warm, shallow waters of the lagoon at high tide to provide a safe and fun environment for the youngest children to mess about and gain confidence on the water. The formation of Seals coincided with a surge in family membership at HISC and relies on fun and informal parent-led activities using any type of craft including dinghies, paddle boards, kayaks, canoes and windsurfers with the aim of getting children on the water for the first time. Over 100 children regularly attend these sessions which are held over a couple of hours during high tides in June, July and August. Certificates for first time sailors and ice cream vouchers have ensured that children keep engaged and motivated and the Seals initiative has continued to grow since its inception in 2008.

Other new initiatives set up by Anne Marie Wood during her tenure as Rear Commodore Youth to broaden the appeal of the youth activities include picnics to East Head, sailing football, trips to see the seals in the harbour, pirate adventures, treasure hunts, camping weekends and youth cruises. Today, as she steps down, the HISC Youth section is the strongest it's ever been with over 1/3 of the members at the sailing club under 20 years old. The club not only offers the strongest youth racing and training programme of any club in the UK but it also offers a more even balance between racing opportunities and fun, informal activities for youth members.

Anne Marie, who lives locally in West Sussex, commented, "I've thoroughly enjoyed my time on the HISC Youth Committee and my achievements in getting more children on the water and learning to sail. Having grown up at the club and been a member all my life, I strongly believed that it was time to give something back to the club, and so put myself forward for the Youth Committee. I'm particularly proud of the SEALS initiative which has helped so many children gain confidence and meet new friends on the water; it's very rewarding to see these children progress over the years and become skilled young sailors some of whom are now winning races and competing competently on the national and international circuits. I hope my lasting achievement will be the breadth of youth opportunities that the club now offers, for all abilities and all types of sailing be it racing, cruising or just messing about on the water."