The Primary Club helps ten blind yachtsmen set sail

Grant enables East Anglian Sailing Trust to run East Coast Blind Sailing Week

East Anglian Sailing Trust (EAST) , a registered charity that enables adults with disabilities to take part in boating and other related activities, is using its £1,540 Primary Club grant to run East Coast Blind Sailing Week this summer for ten yachts.

The fleet will set sail on 13 July from Levington in Suffolk headed for Honfleur in France enabling visually impaired yachtsmen to experience a week’s sailing. Each boat will have a visually impaired sailor on board who will participate as a member of the core crew. The only limitations are cooking and going over the side with a mooring line. In addition to helping to finance the adventure, The Primary Club has also helped to fund specialist equipment such as an audio compass to enable the visually impaired yachtsmen to be as involved as possible in the experience.

"The East Anglian Sailing Trust works tirelessly to help people with disabilities to enjoy sport," said Derek Underwood, Patron of The Primary Club. "We’ve been working with the Trust for over three years and we’re delighted to be able to continue to support this organisation who shares our values of helping to improve the quality of blind people’s lives through physical recreation."

"We’ve been running our sailing week for fourteen years now and every year without fail the experience has a dramatic impact on the visually impaired sailors who take part," said David Vasey, a trustee at EAST. "Not only do they get to have fun and enjoy the pleasures of sailing but mastering sailing also helps to build their confidence and the social aspect of the trip also cements friendships for life."