Charities Partner for Inspirational Sailing Project

The official charity of the America's Cup World Series Portsmouth, The 1851 Trust is to partner with The Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation to deliver inspiring sailing taster sessions to school children in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas throughout the summer holidays.

The Portsmouth Sailing Project is funded by Travis Perkins plc and will be hosted by Portsmouth Sailing Club from Monday, July 27 until Sunday, August 30, 2015. The project has a target of providing sailing taster sessions for up to 1,000 young people aged 9-14 years during the five weeks of operation.

Through using specially adapted boats this project will also allow both disabled and able bodied young people to sail together during the three-hour sailing session. This project aims to inspire a new generation into sailing, breaking down barriers to participation and create an opportunity for young people of diverse backgrounds to take up the sport in the local community.

This will be achieved by providing the initial taster session for free and then signposting the opportunities to attend affordable sailing sessions with local providers, giving them the chance to attend regular sessions and progress in the sport.

Based at The Camber, Old Portsmouth, next to the home of Ben Ainslie Racing, the temporary sailing center will be officially opened at the America’s Cup World Series event in July 2015 and provide an opportunity to grow grassroots participation in sailing.

Speaking on behalf of the 1851 Trust, CEO Alasdair Akass said, “The 1851 Trust is a charity of huge ambition and one of our core objectives is to open up sailing to the widest possible audience of young people. It's great to be partnering with the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation on the Portsmouth Sailing Project, who have such an impressive record of delivering transformational sailing experiences to young people nationally and internationally, to give youngsters from the Portsmouth and the surrounding area the chance to set sail on one of the most iconic stretches of water in the world. We are so grateful to Travis Perkins for making this project possible.”

John Carter, CEO Travis Perkins plc, said, “Travis Perkins plc is committed to supporting charities including WhizzKidz, which carries out amazing work for disabled children. Now through our funding of the Portsmouth Sailing Project, operated by the 1851 Trust, we are really pleased to extend our support to more young people in the south of England through a series of sailing experiences. We are delighted that we can also involve WhizzKidz in this project, enabling up to 30 young people with disabilities to have their very own sailing day on August 20, 2015.”

Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation Trustee and Patron of the 1851 Trust, Sir Ben Ainslie added, “Having two great charities working together to get young people from Portsmouth out on the water and experience sailing is just fantastic. Next week the BAR team will move to our new home on The Camber, and we are very much looking forward to seeing lots of young people out in boats over the summer. It’s great that two charities with similar objectives of helping young people get onto the water, to experience this amazing sport, are able to do so during and after one of the most memorable sailing events Portsmouth has ever seen."