Special Needs Sailors Just Champion at Walsall Sailability Awards

Mayor of Walsall, Cllr Peter Smith, presented more than 70 young people from four special needs groups across the town with certificates celebrating their sailing achievements over the past year at Walsall Council’s Sport and Leisure Outdoor Pursuit Team RYA Sailability Awards on Tuesday 24 February.

And there was a special award for Mary Elliot Special School who collected the Darlaston Rotary Sailability Trophy for services to sailing for disabled children.

The young people, all aged between 8-19, have been learning to sail and improving their sailing skills with Walsall Sailability, as part of the nationwide programme from sailing’s national governing body, the RYA, which introduces people with disabilities to the sport and encourages them to sail regularly.  

Sailing is one of the very few sports in which able-bodied sailors and disabled sailors can participate on equal terms. 

The young people from Mary Elliot School, Old Hall School, SENSE day care services and Walsall Sailability all took part in the Sailability award scheme, achieving Taster, Entry, Bronze or Silver Level certificates, as they gained skills, independence and a wide range of experiences they would not have otherwise been able to enjoy. 

Some of the young people have been sailing with Walsall Sailability for four years, with many attending weekly or fortnightly for almost six months. And they, plus new sailors, are already looking forward to getting back on the water from Easter.

Jeff Moore, Senior Outdoor Pursuit Officer, Walsall Outdoor Pursuits Sport and Leisure Services, said: "We progress the young people through the RYA Sailability scheme in several types of Access dinghies and other recreational dinghies and on some occasions onto adult schemes and even powerboat driving. 

"We also train parents to help and assist their child with rigging and de-rigging of the boats and operating the powerboats so the session becomes a family activity. Even after some of the young people have left school they still return with day care centres or parents to our Sailability sessions on a Saturday morning.”

Many of Mary Elliot pupils first sail with Walsall Sailability at Old Hall primary special school. Mary Elliot takes them sailing when they reach Years 10-13. 

On their trophy, Jeff added: "Teachers and students work hard in school doing follow-up work, worksheets, creating Makaton symbols to make the sailing session easier on the young people with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They also send staff that are willing to take on a new sport so they can be the familiar face in the boat if the young people find the outdoor environment challenging.”

The sessions have taken place at both Walsall Sailability’s base at Sneyd Water Activities Centre and Aldridge Sailing Club. For more information on Walsall Sailability contact Jeff at moorejeff@walsall.gov.uk or for further details on RYA Sailability visit www.rya.org.uk/sailability

ENDS

For more information:

Karenza Morton

RYA West Midlands Regional Communicator

Tel: 07837 707630

Email: press@tenpointstick.co.uk

Twitter: @RYAMidlands

Website: www.rya.org.uk/regions/westmidlands

About the RYA

·         The RYA is the national body for all forms of recreational, competitive and professional boating.  It represents dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sports boats, powerboat racing, windsurfing, inland cruising and personal watercraft.

·         The RYA is recognised by all government offices as being the negotiating body for the activities it represents. It continually fights for the rights and freedoms of its 102,000 personal members, the majority of whom choose to go afloat for purely recreational non-competitive pleasure on coastal and inland waters. There are an estimated further 500,000 boat owners nationally who are members of RYA affiliated clubs and class associations.

·         The RYA also sets and maintains a recognised standard for recreational boat training through a network of 2,340 RYA Recognised Training Centres in over 43 countries. On average 155,000 people per year complete RYA training courses.

·         The RYA is committed to promoting all forms of boating and making them accessible to everyone.

·         Love Boating?  Then why not join the association that promotes and protects, safe, successful and rewarding British boating.  Join today and support the RYA in protecting your boating rights and freedoms.  Take advantage of free advice and support on all aspects of your boating, as well as enjoying a range of fantastic personal member offers.  Find out more by calling 0844 556 9556, email member.services@rya.org.uk

 ·         You can find the RYA at RYA House, Ensign Way, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4YA or visit www.rya.org.uk