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16:18 Wednesday 17 Feb 2016 Sue PellingTry Sailing with UKSA returns to Cowes Week

The highly popular Try Sailing event returns to Cowes Week once again this year thanks to UKSA, writes Sue Pelling.

As the official charity for Cowes Week, the UKSA has included Try Sailing sessions on its schedule of fundraising activities, with the aim to help reach the charity’s £80,000 target.

Visitors to Cowes Week will have a chance to sign up and experience sailing at the world’s biggest regatta. Although the Try Sailing sessions are aimed at those with no or little sailing experience, the UKSA is keen to welcome all comers, to provide an opportunity to experience sailing on one of the charity’s J/80 or Colgate keelboats.

Although details, including the suggested donation, have yet to be confirmed, it is likely the format will be similar to the previous two years, where it is possible to book a slot and enjoy an hour session on the Solent.

Now in its third year as event charity, the UKSA hopes to build on the success of the previous two years and raise enough funds to enable disadvantaged children from areas of high deprivation the opportunity to be involved in the in UKSA’s ground breaking Youth Development courses.

With the £64,500 sum they raised last year, the UKSA helped 100 young people – long-term unemployed, young offenders, or those at risk of offending, and those who are disengaged with education and school –experience sailing and water-based activities. According to the UKSA, the programmes break down the barriers and give the young people the hard and soft skills not just for the maritime industry but also for wider employment enabling them to be nett contributors into society.

As well as the Try Sailing sessions, other fundraising activities this year include an invitation-only cocktail party on the first Friday of the event, plus a host of interactive experiences for all the family. The UKSA hub, including the Try Sailing booking tent, will be located at Cowes Yacht Haven throughout the week.

Ben Willows – UKSA’s Chief Executive – commenting on the UKSA’s association with Cowes Week, said:

“We are really proud to be associated with Cowes Week as their Official Charity for a 3rd year in succession, we are raising money in 2016 to enable disadvantaged children to have the same experiences as everyone else and to experience UKSA and what an on the water activity can give them. We want to include all of the race crews this year so that everyone can be part of achieving that goal. We will need everyone’s help to achieve this.”