Sevenoaks sailing charity receives Queen's Award for Voluntary Service

Racing Hansa dinghies at Wealden Sailability © Wealden Sailability

A Sevenoaks charity that provides people with disabilities with the chance to learn to sail and sail regularly has received the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK - the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

Wealden Sailability, based at Chipstead Sailing Club, has over 70 volunteers who support more than 60 people a week, with a whole range of physical and learning disabilities, in getting out on the water every Tuesday and Thursday between April and October.

Established seven years ago, with no money nor boats, Wealden Sailability has grown from being a small group of enthusiastic sailors wanting to help people with disabilities enjoy the fun and independence sailing offers, to now owning 19 of its own specially-adapted boats and enjoying outstanding relationships with many local community groups and independent sailors. More than 1,500 people are expected sail with Wealden Sailability during the course of this year.

RYA Sailability is the national programme run by sailing's national governing body, the RYA, to encourage and support people with disabilities to take up the sport and facilitate sites to develop sailing opportunities. There are some 155 recognised RYA Sailability groups in the UK, and it is believed Wealden is only the sixth Sailability group, and the first for three years, to get this award.

Brian Stanley, Founder Trustee of Wealden Sailability who is also Vice Chair of Brenchley Parish Council, said: "Since moving to Chipstead in 2011, the growth of the charity has been spectacular. This prestigious award honours the wonderful blend of our volunteer instructors and helpers. There is a great relationship between them and the clients, it is all very relaxed and with a huge sense of having fun whilst learning new skills.

"There are few sports where a disabled person can compete with the able-bodied on the same terms but on the water everyone is equal. Sport and outdoor activity plays a unique part in our lives, uniting people and communities, heightening self-awareness and relieving the effects of stress.

"Sailing also generates great pleasure, bringing the thrill of competition, the fulfilling feeling of self-reliance and confidence from accomplishment. It is really quite emotional to see a blind person or a paraplegic able to sail solo in a specially adapted boat. Such freedom and independence is seldom available to disabled people."

A Wealden Sailability sailor puts their boat through its paces - photo © Wealden Sailability

Mr Stanley, who with wife Fay attended the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 20, where they met Her Majesty Queen and the other winners of this year's awards, paid tribute to the help, cooperation and support Wealden Sailability has received from the officers and members of Chipstead SC since moving to the site four years ago.

The group is now looking forward to receiving the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service from the Lord Lieutenant of Kent, on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, later this year.

Wealden Sailability's philosophy is to encourage its sailors to develop their sailing skills so that they may aim towards achieving personal goals, which may be simply to enjoy the freedom of being on the water, or to progress to taking full control and sailing solo, or even to learning to race.

Through RYA Sailability over 40,000 young people and adults with disabilities are introduced to sailing per year, and many go on to sail on a regular basis.

For more information on Wealden Sailability visit www.wealdensailability.org or to learn more about RYA Sailability visit www.rya.org.uk/sailability