RS Venture Connect Arrives
Just before Christmas, on a stormy wet day, Rye Harbour Sailability (RHS) took delivery of a brand-new dinghy, an RS Venture Connect. With Christmas looming it was decided to leave the ‘unwrapping’ and rigging of the dinghy until early in the new year.
On Friday 20th January, on a brighter sunnier day, Rye Harbour Sailability volunteers set about preparing the dinghy for some shake down sails. We were delighted to welcome the Ward Councillors for Eastern Rother, Cllr Lizzie Hacking and Cllr Paul Osborne. Rother District Council Community Grants (RDCCG) have helped to make this purchase possible by providing funding of £8,685.00 towards the project. A huge thank you to RDCCG. Cllr Paul Osborne said “Cllr Hacking and I are pleased to support the Rye Harbour based Sailability charity in achieving their goal of providing a new dingy to take sailors with disabilities out sailing. This resource will support sailors from across the Rother district and we are more than pleased to assist in the receipt of funding from Rother District Councils’ Community Grant Scheme”.
In addition, The Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm Fund gave £2,500.00 and Icklesham Parish Council £500.00. The remaining funds needed to purchase the dinghy, which cost in total £17,370.00, were raised by the hard work of Rye Harbour Sailability volunteers who organised talks, a film night, a quiz night, the sale of Christmas cards, took stands at village fetes, put on a fabulous evening of Opera and were given an extremely generous, anonymous, individual donation of £1,000.00, which really helped to get us over the line with the fund raising! A very big thank you to RHS volunteers, RHS sailors, the local community and businesses who have been outstanding in their amazing support of the charity.
Rye Harbour Sailability takes people with disabilities sailing in dinghies at Rye Harbour. If you would like to know more or feel that you would like to join a fun and enthusiastic team of volunteers please contact 01797 223112 or email info@ryeharboursailability.org
