From reduced isolation to improved physical fitness, disabled islanders share the benefits they have gained.
Belinda (second from left) and Josef (right) sailing with Cowes Sailability Club
Richard (left) and Belinda (centre) on a motorboat trip organised by Cowes Sailability Club
Many people with disabilities on the Isle of Wight have had an exceptionally rewarding summer. Through membership of Cowes Sailability Club, they have had opportunities to take part in weekly sailing activities, enjoy exhilarating motorboat trips and even experience days out on a 36-foot wheelchair-accessible yacht.
Members have benefited in many different ways, depending on their disabilities. Most, however, have acknowledged improvements in their mental health or physical fitness alongside a reduction in social isolation. Several members have learned new skills, such as how to helm a sailing boat and work as part of a team, while others appreciate the new friendships they have made.
Richard joined Cowes Sailability Club for the first time this year. As he lives alone and has limited mobility following a stroke, membership of Cowes Sailability Club has created valuable opportunities for him to meet other people in a welcoming and supportive environment. “Cowes Sailability Club gives me a reason to get out of the house,” he says. “I am making friends and meeting lots of new people, many of whom have far more challenging circumstances than my own. When I have Cowes Sailability Club trips and events on my calendar, I have something exciting to look forward to.”
Belinda, who has multiple sclerosis, has just completed her second season as a member of Cowes Sailability Club. She believes that she has gained a wide range of benefits from sailing and boating, ranging from emotional wellbeing to better sleep and improved physical fitness.
She says: “Having spent all my time stationary in a wheelchair for many years, it is wonderful to experience the constant movement whilst in a boat on the water. My core muscles have strengthened as a result of having to keep upright when the boat moves – a sensation which is most welcome and pleasurable. Various other muscles have also been exercised in ways that they had not been previously, improving my general strength. It is gratifying to look back and see all that I have accomplished in this respect, thanks to the encouragement and help from the volunteers at Cowes Sailability Club.”
24-year old Josef was born with the rare neurological condition microcephaly and has significant learning disabilities. “Cowes Sailability Club has been an amazing opportunity for Josef, enabling him to do things that he wouldn’t otherwise experience,” says his grandmother Elaine. “Being on the water is so good for him emotionally and developmentally, as it helps him to relax and learn how to work as part of a crew. Being with others is also helping Joseph to improve his communication skills and vocabulary. Cowes Sailability Club really has opened up the world for him.”
During the 2024 season, Cowes Sailability Club received funding from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF), an independent grant making charity focused on enabling positive social change within disadvantaged communities in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Fifty percent of the grant covered the operating costs for Cowes Sailability Club’s weekly sailing activities for members. The other fifty percent enabled Cowes Sailability Club to charter a wheelchair-accessible motorboat and provide trips for members and other disabled people in the community.
“We are incredibly grateful to HIWCF for its support this year,” says Trish Rooke, Cowes Sailability Club’s Fundraising Officer and Vice Commodore. “Our members have benefited enormously from being able to take part in regular sailing activities, as well as enjoy trips on an accessible motorboat. I am incredibly proud of the difference that we are able to make to people’s lives and thank everyone at HIWCF for making that happen.”
Jacqui Scott, CEO of HIWCF, says: “We are delighted to see how HIWCF funds have made such a wonderful impact on people’s lives on the Isle of Wight. Cowes Sailability is a small charity making a big impact on tackling social and physical isolation for people with disabilities. Connecting people with each other and the environment can have huge health benefits and Cowes Sailability goes above and beyond to support people to build happier, healthier lives. We are enormously grateful to have had an opportunity to experience their support firsthand this summer.”
