Prestigious yacht club shows its support
The Royal Yacht Squadron raises funds for sailing charities in Kings Cup Regatta.
Prestigious yacht club shows its support
The Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, known to be one of the most prestigious and exclusive yacht clubs in the world, has shown the strength of its support for Cowes Sailability Club. It recently organised a one-day sailing event, called the Kings Cup Regatta, to raise money for sailing charities and named Cowes Sailability Club as one of the beneficiaries.
Following the day’s races, a teatime reception and prize giving ceremony was organised at the Royal Yacht Squadron. “I was honoured to have the opportunity to represent Cowes Sailability Club at the reception,” says Chrissie Smyth, Rear Commodore of Cowes Sailability Club. “It was such a joyful afternoon, and it was lovely to meet with representatives from the other charities, all of whom work hard to make sailing accessible in one way or another.
“I felt very proud to be able to talk about the work that Cowes Sailability Club does with people who have disabilities,” she continues. “From the elite sailors who had taken part in the yacht races to the volunteers from local charities, everyone had a passion for sailing and a genuine desire to help others access and enjoy water-based activities.”
In total, the Kings Cup Regatta raised funds for eleven Isle of Wight charities that have a connection to sailing. One of the other beneficiaries was Ellen McArthur Cancer Trust, a charity that provides sailing experiences for young people living through and beyond cancer. At the reception, Ellen McArthur spoke on behalf of all of the chosen local charities and thanked the Squadron’s Commodore Robert Bicket and Rear Commodore Bruce Huber for their support.
The funds raised by the Royal Yacht Squadron will help Cowes Sailability Club to organise more water-based activities for Island people with disabilities next year. “It means a lot to a small charity like Cowes Sailability Club to know that we have the support of the Royal Yacht Squadron,” says Trish Rooke, Fundraising Officer of Cowes Sailability Club. “On behalf of all of our volunteers and those who benefit from the services we provide, I would like to say a huge and genuine thank you.”
The Kings Cup Regatta was organised with the support of the RC44s Class, which are high-performance, 44-foot carbon-fibre racing yachts. Bruce Huber, Rear Commodore Yachting, said: “We’ve been working on preparations for the King’s Cup Regatta for almost a year, with a vision for the event to celebrate the end of the Cowes Week Bicentenary season with a charitable focus that gives back to the Island maritime community.”
Among the sailors were several well-known personalities, including Simon Le Bon MBE, the lead vocalist of Duran Duran, who is a lifelong sailor, and Sir Ben Ainslie CBE, the most successful sailor in Olympic history.
Image below: Belinda on one of Cowes Sailability Club’s Drascombe sailing boats
