North Wales public asked to vote for Police to fund project from charity All-Afloat in Rhyl

Hundreds 'Push the Boat Out' in North Wales © Natalie Brett

The North Wales public can vote to boost boating charity All Afloat in getting more disadvantaged children and young people on the water in Rhyl.

The funding bonus for All Afloat in North Wales could come from Your Community, Your Choice, which will see a public vote to allocate up to £2,500 per group from cash seized by the police via the Proceeds of Crimes Act.

Tackling serious and organised crime is a priority for the special £40,000 fund set up by North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones with the support of North Wales Police and the North Wales Police and Crime Trust (PACT).

This extra funding would make a massive difference to expanding All Afloat in Rhyl, allowing more young people to engage for longer.

The public vote is now open, for your chance to vote for the All_afloat project in Rhyl please go to www.north-wales.police.uk/contact/your-community-your-choice/denbighshire-projects for further information on how to vote.

The All Afloat charity was founded to give children and young people an opportunity to have different experiences in a challenging but protected environment.

It has demonstrated that giving young people an opportunity on the water has changed lives and delivered against the outcomes the Police fund is looking to achieve.

In 2019 All Afloat supporting sailing at eight centre across Wales and gave 2,500 opportunities for people to take part.

It costs around £20 to give a child a sailing opportunity. More than three-quarters of children given an opportunity have said that it has improved their confidence, decision making and communication skills.

"Sailing helps teach respect, teamwork and self-starting. It is a fun pastime which teaches responsibility," said All Afloat North Wales officer Rosy Hearn.

"I have seen first-hand how it really makes a difference to young people who never considered they could engage with sailing.

"This money from the proceeds of crime could be used to help give people that chance to try boating. "All Afloat is an established charity which works to provide opportunities for exactly the sort of people included in the PACT scheme.

"The All Afloat charity has a good record of moving people into sailing on a longer-term basis, we have plenty of examples of people who started in the scheme and are still involved in sailing now.

"People who take up sailing not only have a sport for life, but also have a wide variety of educational and employment opportunities in the marine industry.

"We believe the charity would be a worthy recipient of the award and would spend the money in a way that backs up the campaign targets of PACT."

Please go to www.northwales-pcc.gov.uk/en/Working-in-Partnership/PACT.aspx for more details.

For further details about Welsh sailing and watersports, please go to www.rya.org.uk/rya-regions/rya-cymru-wales