The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sailing Association together with the sailing community of the United Kingdom have developed a global approach to the sustainable development of sailing in emerging nations such as St, Vincent and the Grenadines.
It started with a chance meeting of SVG Sailing Association President, Jenny Trumble, and UK ILCA sailor Guy Noble, a regular visitor to the Caribbean.
Guy explained: “Some of us are lucky enough to visit Caribbean hotels with sailing boats we can use, but we rarely see the locals sailing. I thought about all the neglected boats in my home club, Queen Mary Sailing Club near London, which could be given a second life. So, I approached Tony Bishop, Manager of QMSC and he immediately said he could help.”
The UK sailing network picked this up and offers of equipment came from QMSC members and from all over the UK, like Nick Harrison from Stokes Bay, Richard Butler from Covenham SC, Kean Gunton from South Cerney SC, all getting in touch.
Suppliers like Rooster, SailingFast and Ovington Boats all donated equipment. And, with the very generous support of Kestrel Shipping who provided the container, six boats, safety equipment and spares are now on their way to St. Vincent.
Tony Bishop said: “We are happy and proud to be part of this venture. Not only is it a great cause, but giving equipment a second life aligns with our sustainability and community objectives.”
The SVG Sailing Association and QMSC are now looking to establish a long-term partnership and to make this an annual event.
Kelly Glass, vice-president of the SVG Sailing Association, who helped load the container, said: “We are excited to build strong ties with QMSC. It’s hoped that we can give exchange opportunities for sailors and coaches to support SVGSA’s elite training programme.”
SVG Sailing Association said it is committed to a sailing programme that teaches sailing skills within the community.
The main aim is to have fun, but also to discover talent, be it to represent SVG in international competitions or to gain vocational qualifications for careers in the sailing industry.
If you would like to get involved with this initiative next year, please contact [email protected] or Tony Bishop [email protected]