A local sailing charity will be able to enhance the quality of its sailings thanks to a grant from Manx Lottery Trust.

Sailing for the Disabled has been awarded £1,360 from the trust’s smaller grants programme to purchase a new chart plotter and hand-held radio for its specially adapted yacht, ‘Pride of Man III’.

Special adaptations on the yacht include a stern boarding ramp, moveable cockpit table, a lift and a fully enclosed cockpit cover for wet or windy weather.

Founded in 1984, the charity provides the chance to sail on board the ‘Pride of Man III’ to adults and children with conditions which might affect their day to day life, including wheelchair users.

On these sailing trips, members can learn nautical and other life skills, become more confident and also have fun.

Chris Wood, secretary of Sailing for the Disabled, said: ‘This is really exciting for all involved at the charity – the new equipment is some of the latest technology in this field.

‘This will provide us with more efficient navigation which will allow us to practice the safest possible sailing. It will also ensure our disabled sailors are experiencing the highest level of comfort and security, which is absolutely paramount.

‘It will make such a positive difference for our sailors, current and new, so we would like to say a sincere thank you to Manx Lottery Trust for the valuable support.’

Stephen Turner, chairman of Manx Lottery Trust, said: ‘We were delighted to award Sailing for the Disabled funding for new specialist equipment – they sail all year round, and are run entirely by wonderful, trained volunteers who provide such special and unique experiences for people affected by disability.’

Manx Lottery Trust has been delegated to distribute National Lottery money from The National Lottery Community Fund.

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