Medina Publishing supports Cowes Sailability Club at local book launch event
Cowes Sailability Club was thrilled to be invited to the launch of ‘The Last Adventurer: Message in a Bottle,’ a book charting the remarkable life and extraordinary Atlantic crossings of Fons Oerlemans and his wife Kee Arens.
This well-attended event was organised by Medina Publishing and supported by Medina Books, the independent book store on Cowes High Street.
“Cowes Sailability Club and its dedicated volunteers provide amazing boating opportunities for adults and children living with health conditions and disabilities. They put smiles on faces and build confidence,” says Peter Harrigan, Medina Publishing founder director. “Having the chance to learn about their activities and mission at our book launch was a perfect fit for our event. By having Cowes Sailability at our book launch we all learnt a lot about this wonderful Cowes-based charity.”
During the launch event, Mary Bradley, one of Cowes Sailability Club’s volunteers, gave a talk about the boating and sailing activities that the charity provides for people with disabilities on the Isle of Wight. “It was a real pleasure to be invited to take part in the book launch,” she says. “The book, ‘The Last Adventurer: Message in a Bottle’, is all about adventures at sea—and so it was a fitting occasion to talk about how we provide opportunities for local people with disabilities to have their own adventures at sea.
She adds: “We may not cross the Atlantic like Fons and Kee, but by taking people out into the Solent on a range of different accessible boats, we really do lift the spirits of people who otherwise face daily challenges as a result of disability, injury, illness or poor mental health.”
A raffle held on the evening raised nearly £300, providing a welcome boost to the charity’s funds. “We would like to thank all those organisations that provided prizes for the raffle, including Beken Photography, Spinlock, M&S Cowes and Pascall Atkey,” says Cowes Sailability Club’s Fundraising Officer, Trish Rooke. “The money raised is much appreciated.”
Pictured above (left to right): Mary Bradley, John Spalding, Peter Harrigan, Medina Publishing, Graham Barnetson, Mohammed Alsheikh and Chris Smyth.