Sailability Tauranga sponsors were recently given a front row view of its sailing programme for disabled sailors.
Supporters, including IHC Foundation Trustee Shelley Payne, were taken out on launches to observe the sailors up close and then had a chance to meet them over lunch.
There were three sailing sessions on the day and Shelley says there was a real mix of disability service providers involved, including IHC company IDEA Services.
“There is such a variety of people coming – quite disabled people coming in wheelchairs and being lifted into a boat, with support people; people sailing on their own without support people.”
Up to 145 sailors with disabilities are now involved and Sailability Tauranga has increased its fleet to cope with the demand. It now has seven Hansa sailing dinghies and one cutter and can offer sailing opportunities to between 30 and 40 people each sailing day. Among participants are 10 schools which bring teenagers from special education units. The programme is fully booked with a waiting list.
Sailability Tauranga offers its programme in Tauranga and across the Western Bay of Plenty and is seeing increasing numbers of sailors developing the skills and confidence to sail single-handed or showing an intention to learn to race. More than 90 percent of participants have intellectual disabilities and 56 volunteers are committed to giving people with disabilities the opportunity to sail.
The IHC Foundation recently approved a $10,000 grant towards Sailability Tauranga operations this year.