The
Centre
‘ A Charity Changing People's Lives Through Sailing ’
Disability Sailing - A Positive Approach
This was due to your staff and Volunteers' patience and understanding. The facilities are ideally suited for our needs, with excellent disabled access.'
'We were made to feel very welcomed and felt totally safe and secure.
To Whom It May Concern
I'd like to take this opportunity to speak of the support I have received since joining the AHOY Centre.
As a person with a disability, I was delighted last year to find a piece in my local paper advertising a new local sailing centre that welcomed participation from the disabled community.
On my first initial visit, I found the facilities at the AHOY to be of an exceptionally high architectural standard, providing for me an accessible environment that would allow me the freedom to enjoy all the Centre had to offer on equal terms as all others.
The staff, whether employed or voluntary, have created an atmosphere that is inclusive on all levels. Their encouragement and limitless support has enabled me to get back on the water, start training to sail and, hopefully in the next couple of months, gain enough experience in the safe environment of Tideway's Docks to venture onto the Thames.
I have worked for many years as an access advisor for new developments such as the South Bank Centre, London and I'm also currently managing CandoCo Dance Company's education programme, which delivers training to thousands of people with disabilities in the UK and abroad, so I've witnessed integration and access at its best and its worst. It was, therefore, a delight for me to discover an organisation getting it so right.
2005 promises for me to be an exciting and challenging year through my involvement as a volunteer at the AHOY. There is the continuation of my training, hopefully my first sail on the Thames, regattas, the arrival of new accessible boats, youth training, volunteer sail days with new friends, the Trafalgar celebrations and so the list goes on.
Thank you is hardly enough for what I have received from the AHOY so far. I hope RYA Sailability recognise the importance of such a facility and support it in every way possible.
Yours faithfully
Sarah Howard
Education Officer & AHOY Centre Volunteer
The AHOY Centre is a registered RYA Sailability Centre and as such provides facilities and equipment that ensures people with disabilities get equal opportunities to participate in sailing and boating activities.
Sailability is the charitable arm of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and supports and encourages centres such as AHOY to work with people with disabilities. The RYA have cited AHOY as leading the way in the quality of its facilities and programmes in this respect.
