‘To be given a chance, is sometimes all anyone needs’

‘A CHANCE OF A LIFETIME’

The

Centre

The Adventure Help & Opportunities for Youth Centre

The AHOY Centre Borthwick Street Deptford London SE8 3JYPatron: Tracy Edwards MBE

Tel: 020 8691 7606 E-mail:admin@ahoy.org.uk

Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship Amanda Corcoran’s Project Report

OVERVIEW:

This project was undertaken as a charity initiative to visit water sports centres across

the world for inspiration, and to bring back ideas and best

practice. To research how to enhance activities that the AHOY centre offers and to

develop partnerships, in order to offer disadvantaged young

and adult volunteers a possible exchange

programme to ‘broaden horizons’

Centre for Wooden Boats - Seattle

SYDNEY TO HOBART RACE

The AHOY Centre (where I work) is a charity established to give opportunities to people who would not normally have the chance to learn to sail, race, powerboat and row on tidal Thames. To date we have worked with over 5,000 young people, both able and disabled, to obtain nationally recognised qualifications. We currently work with young at risk, young offenders, children with behavioural problems and adults and young people with disabilities. We are currently in the process of obtaining an old derelict jetty adjacent to the centre. If successful, it will mean that we will be able to introduce possibly three times the number of people from the local community to the activities that we have on offer, at little or no cost apart from the time they give us as volunteers. The knowledge and experience I have gained from travelling to other successful centres around the world will be crucial in the development of this site. It is my vision that AHOY will become truly rooted into the local community, as well as being a flagship enterprise and good working role model for others centres across the country to emulate. The information and knowledge I gained will be used and passed onto others at the AHOY, and possibly to the partnerships I develop now and in the future with other water sports centres in the UK.

To continue to develop boating & sailing facilities, together with training on the Deptford waterfront. To continue to take positive action to ensure that the AHOY Centre will be able to offer, through subsidised sailing and training, opportunities for everyone to have access to the tidal Thames and to participate in water-based sports.

Aim of Winston Churchill Fellowship:

What is AHOY? Aims and objectives:

The centre is for the entire community and its primary objective is disadvantaged youth and people with disabilities from Deptford, Greenwich, Lewisham and the surrounding boroughs. In certain cases this also expands to London wide. It offers participants the experience, opportunities and new horizons gained through water-based activities. The centre is a RYA (Royal Yachting Association) recognised teaching establishment, with an AALA (Adventure, Activities Licensing Authority) running dinghy and keelboat courses with a centre membership. The AHOY is a project partner of the London RYA ‘Sailability’ initiative, and is fully equipped for people with physical disabilities. The project commenced operation in May 2004 The Centre has within 4 years enabled over 5000 people to participate in water sports, of which over 1500 have gained Nationally recognised qualifications in sailing and power boating. Through the activities and courses run at the AHOY the benefits in participating in sailing include:

• Enabling self-development by imparting a sense of achievement, responsibility and teamwork.

• The opportunity for all sections of the community to become involved in water sports and it’s social aspects by offering support and skill, increasing the sense of community spirit.

• Allow youth to utilise sailing skills to participate in schemes such as Duke of Edinburgh and Youth Achievement Awards.

• Increase health awareness and fitness. • Through focusing the mind and providing a channel for energy within an exciting

environment, we have shown that there exists the opportunity to reduce anti-social behaviour.

• Increase the sense of achievement for both youths & adults in providing the opportunity to compete nationally in competition and gain industry recognised coaching qualifications.

• Giving a positive example to young children, providing role models, mentors and facilitating realisation of what they can aim for.

• Enabling the local community to participate in a sport that few would have access to otherwise.

• While sailing on the Thames, participants learn about the river, its wildlife and historic past.

‘THE FELLOWSHIP’

I planned to visit water sports centres across the world to see how they operate and to learn how they have developed their centres. It was important for me to understand how they built up their business, so that they are able to sustain long term income. I also wanted to know how they have been able to sustain the activities they offer and how they have succeeded in meeting their aims and objectives. Most importantly I wanted to see how they have developed their disabled elements, to understand the problems they have faced and how they overcame them.

The Fellowship: ‘Opportunity of a lifetime’ Picture: AHOY Centre – Tidal Thames, London

FIRST STOP: Florida – USA Water Ski, Head of Tourism and Sport for Florida

First Stop: Florida: Contact made with ‘Head of Tourism and Sport’ Mark Jackson who put us in touch with USA Water Sk. There we were met by Lisa St. John (Director of Competition and Events) and Ann O’Brine-Satterfield. Ann who herself has relied on a wheelchair since the age of 2 says that, ‘water skiing gives the feeling of being free from limitations’. She says that she knows first hand what sports and recreation can do for a person who uses a wheelchair, cane or prosthesis and that she wants others to have the chance to know what it feels like. People seem to forget all about what you can’t do and they start doing things that most able-bodied people would never have tried.

Ann is a winner of 6 national and 2 world championships, she won award of distinction from American Water Ski Education Foundation in 2005, and her accomplishments are held in the Hall of Fame at the Florida Water Ski Headquarters. Last but now least she was awarded Athlete of the Month by the United States Olympic Committee – What a lady!. As a volunteer she spends all her time teaching others, teaching them how to live again regardless of ability. When I met her I was truly inspired by her enthusiasm and her belief that anything is possible - if you want it! She herself teaches and outreaches to people with disabilities and also heads up sponsorship and corporate funding.

Itinerary: Florida, Seattle, New Zealand and Australia Picture: USA water Ski - Florida

Ann’s vision reaches far beyond her own personal interests. She is as devoted to promoting public awareness about disabled athletes as she is to helping to integrate them into the mainstream. Her purpose is to promote sports and recreation for people with disabilities, through adaptive water skiing.

Lessons learnt: At AHOY we have a growing ‘sailability’ programme for people with disabilities. By having a person with ‘disabilities’ heading this up will only enhance our further development, as well as encouraging less confident individuals that sailing is for ALL, regardless of ability! It is envisaged that a disabled AHOY volunteer will introduce newcomers to the sport of sailing, power boating and rowing who, due to their disability, would not have considered the challenge previously possible. We will aim to encourage newcomers to forget the restrictions of the land, leave their disability behind and feel the freedom of the WATER. With the expert guidance and assistance from fully qualified RYA (Royal Yachting Association) instructors they can take to the water and learn to sail, powerboat and row, whatever their disability. AHOY can cater for amputees, blind, deaf, sufferers of partial paralysis, paraplegic, wheel chair users, people with multiple sclerosis, learning disabilities and more……

Sailing over the years, thanks to RYA sailability, has been adapted so that physically disabled people can participate and compete in competitions.

Mark Jackson (Head of Tourism and Sport for Florida) kindly donated accommodation and tickets for Cypress Gardens Theme Park which was established in the mid 1930's. Cypress Gardens ranks as Florida's oldest theme park, though there are no thrill rides to frighten visitors there. It's more of a relaxing environment of plants, animals, and stunning flower displays. Whilst I was there, there were some impressive organised waterskiing displays. We also had an aerial view of the whole park by riding the 'Kodak Island in the Sky' - a 153 ft high revolving platform.

Second Stop: Seattle – Centre for Wooden Boats

Second Stop: Seattle: Contact made with Courtney Bartlett at Centre for Wooden Boats: History: To provide a gathering place where maritime history comes alive through direct experience. Where small craft heritage can be enjoyed, preserved and passed along to future generations. Their Mission Statement; The Centre offers an opportunity to experience the dimensions of an earlier time, to put your hands on the oars of a graceful pulling boat or the tiller of a traditional wooden catboat. With help from master craftsmen, you can learn to steam bend an oak frame, cast an oarlock, sew a canvas ditty bag, splice a line or caulk a seam. The Centre for Wooden Boats is a hands on maritime museum. Purpose is to preserve rich, vital and varied small craft heritage by preserving both the artefacts and the time-tested maritime skills. There aim is to provide an educational adventure, through participation in their small craft heritage. The centre for Wooden Boats has been built on Seattle’s newest and only waterfront park, which extends beyond the shoreline onto Lake Union. The admission cost is zero, because everyone has the right to visit Seattle's internal waterways.

Lessons learnt: They have various programmes in which the AHOY Centre could (funding permitting) put into place;

Sail NOW!: This program provides basic sailing instructions. Volunteer instructors simply enjoy teaching . . . SO don't yell!

Itinerary: Florida, Seattle, New Zealand and Australia

Centre for wooden boats - Seattle

All Aboard is a sailing and boat shop skills program for disadvantaged youth. Several days a week, year-round, homeless teenagers participate in All Aboard. From June to August additional teenagers facing difficult life situations, also come for academic and boatbuilding instruction. All the students receive full scholarships. Many of these programs have been run in partnership with Seattle Mental Health and the Orion Centre. This is something that AHOY can look at in the long term in relation to boat building, but it would be well worth getting in touch with local PCT’s to develop?!

Sail Away Challenge: These sailing clinics are done in cooperation with Footloose Sailing Association for people with developmental and physical disabilities. Again for AHOY to look at possible corporate funders in regards to programmes for people with disabilities.

Bailey-Boushay House is a clinic and hospice for people with AIDS. Every Thursday afternoon, year-round, their van brings Bailey-Boushay clients for a sail outing at CWB. If the weather is bad they do marlinspike work or just hang out in the Boathouse and talk about boats and sailing. This is offered as a free public service to Bailey-Boushay. Again AHOY needs to develop links with clinics and hospices!

Toy Boat Building: The first Wooden Boat Festival was held in July 1977. Since then, it has become a ritual at the festival. This is probably the entry level in hand tools, woodworking and naval architecture for thousands of youth each year. The law of averages indicates that someday someone will come to CWB with their degree from MIT and say: "It all started here!" AHOY can in the long term focus on this area.

Cast Off gives the public free rides on summer weekends in their larger sailboats and in their more exotic row, paddle, and steam powered vessels. Year-round rides in larger sailboats are offered (weather permitting) on Sunday afternoons. After questioning Centre for Wooden Boats about this, they offer free moorings to visiting yachts, or a reduction in rates, in return for them giving a certain amount of hours to teaching disadvantaged people how to yacht and crew. What a great idea for AHOY’s pending ‘derelict jetty’ proposal for ‘visiting yachts’.

AS#1, a K-8 public school, is a long time partner with CWB. Kids as young as kindergarten age get a yearly sail in there Bristol Bay Gillnetter. A fleet (6) of 9½' Clancy sailing skiffs was built by AS#1 7th and 8th graders several years ago. The kids learn to sail the Clancys. They have even formed their own yacht club! WHAT a great idea, again something for AHOY that can be developed!

School Field Trips: Every museum marches youth around the exhibits. In their case, the tour is around Lake Union in one of their classic boats. AHOY are building a boat which will be the only one of is kind, which is due to be built and delivered to AHOY in September 2008. This boat is being built and designed for people with disabilities to teach and operate independently! This boat can also be used for school field trips (operated by people with disabilities in the long term) and at the same time we can show young people the history and sites of London by boat.

The Coffeepot is the place to come and hear true confessions about maritime adventures. AHOY has a fully functional catering kitchen area – social gatherings could be the best idea ever in a volunteer environment. Where else to meet likeminded sailors?

Third Stop: New Zealand - Auckland

Third stop: New Zealand – Auckland: We were met at Auckland International Airport by Mark Jones of Mark Jones Water Sports School, who took me to my apartment, let me settle in for a couple of hours, then picked me up and showed me some of the sites of Auckland City. He then arranged for me to visit Auckland Coastguard and Sailability New Zealand

The Royal New Zealand Coastguard provides New Zealand's primary maritime search

and rescue service. Coastguards operate from a network of 4 regions and 68 affiliated units, strategically located around the coastline and major lakes of New Zealand. These units have all been established by a concerned community, usually after a local boating tragedy. Coastguard is a volunteer organisation with charitable status. It is self funded and operates on contributions from sponsorship, fundraising and the network of community and gaming trusts around New Zealand. Coastguard's membership comprises of more than 2500 dedicated, active volunteers and 18000 supporter members. There are currently 75 dedicated rescue vessels in Coastguard's fleet and 2 small fixed wing single engine aircraft

Coastguard in New Zealand is a volunteer organisation. Every single crew member on board their rescue vessels and air patrol craft are trained professional search and rescue personnel, upon whom you can depend should you find yourself in need of their services.

Itinerary: Florida, Seattle, New Zealand and Australia Picture: on route to New Zealand

We met with Neil Murray (training and development Manager) and Nina Collett (training and development administrator), who are the leading providers of recreational boating education in New Zealand. Whether it is messing about in boats, a spot of fishing or competing at the great regattas of the world, New Zealanders appreciate life on the water. Most of them are also aware of the respect they must have for this formidable force of nature, and appreciate how much more there is to learn. Did you realize that New Zealand has the fifth largest coastline of any country in the world? While Coastguard New Zealand's search and rescue services are there to help boaties in trouble, the not-for-profit education arm, Coastguard Boating Education Service (CBES), also works hard to prevent boaties from getting into trouble in the first place. CBES has long recognized that education is more effective than regulation in developing more responsible attitudes and behavior among boat users. Put simply, the more people know, the better and safer their boating experience. To improve safety and enjoyment on the water, CBES offers a number of easily accessible and inexpensive recreational boating courses, ranging from basic boating education to internationally recognized yacht master qualifications. CBES is NZQA accredited as a private training establishment and has over 400 accredited tutors who deliver courses throughout the country at coastguard units, polytechnics, maritime schools, community colleges, schools, boat clubs and other delivery sites. CBES also offers a range of practical on-water courses.

CBES went into partnership with RYA in 2004 and deliver some of their courses however; they issue approx 10,000 certificates per year, of which 8,000 are there own in house certificates and 2,000 RYA. New Zealand has an overall population of 4 million people, of which 1.3 million (and growing!) participate in water sports

Lessons Learnt: They gave me the full syllabus for in school training which includes: Safe Boating Programme: teaching and learning programmes which provides primary and intermediate schools with preparation for EOTC boating experiences such as kayaking, yachting, power boating and waka. The programmes are primarily linked to the health and PE curriculum, with links to science, technology and English curricula for years 5-8 (aged 8-13 years old). AHOY is currently developing the school curriculum programmes and having this teaching aid will help tremendously Day Skipper Experience A half day practical learning experience for intermediate and secondary aged students. Sponsorship from Toyota Financial Services is available for schools. AHOY is currently having a boat built, where this programme could be used. A great idea for raising sponsorship to run as a separate programme and by having this literature will again help tremendously.

SAILABILITY NEW ZEALAND provides opportunities for physically disabled young people & adults to learn to sail, or just to experience being on a sailing boat. Originally set up by Dr Peter Cairney in 1991 as 'Sailing for the Disabled Trust', Sailability N.Z. is part of a worldwide movement. Their aim is to provide people with disabilities the opportunity to sail in safety and to experience adventure and freedom - building mobility, self confidence and pride through achievement. They are a charity and rely heavily on funding. I met with Tim Dempsey who himself is a wheelchair user, his enthusiasm and determination really moved me. He works part time for Sailability NZ and the rest of his time is as a volunteer. While I at this centre I met with Chris Mitchell, who was there helping to put together 3 access dinghies that they he had sold to the centre. He designed and is MD of Access. He has sailed all types of craft, from rafts and canoes, to rowing dinghies (with his mother's broom handles for masts and bed sheets for sails) It was an apprenticeship in resource poor innovation and by twelve years old a 2.4meter catamaran had been designed and built. Then followed a series of off the beach sailing dinghies. At the first opportunity he built a 25ft cruising yacht (a Top Hat, designed by Illingworth and Primrose) and sailed off to South East Asia, where he remained on and off for 20 years. That time was spent measuring, photographing and drawing Indonesian sailing/trading craft. He then designed, built and modified yachts in Singapore and Malaysia. During his time in SE Asia Chris designed the forerunner of the current Access 2.3, and since his return to Australia in 1992 the company has been formed. He set up a factory, employed and trained staff, developed the manufacturing process and established the Access Dinghy Foundation. There are now nine models of Access Dinghy available. Access Dinghy Sailing Systems Pty Ltd (ADSS) was established in July 1997. By January 2002 over 750 Access Dinghies have been built and they are now being sailed in ten countries throughout the world. Current production is five boats per week. One of the official dinghies for Sailability regattas internationally and designed for physically disabled sailors. The Access Dinghy provides not only for recreational sailors, but also for those wishing to participate in training for competitive sailing both in N.Z. and overseas, including the Paralympics.

Lessons Learnt: Sailability NZ is managed by 5 Trustees and is run and operated by Tim and others with disabilities. This is something AHOY should be doing. AHOY has access liberty boats and Tim has invited ahoy to participate in the 2010 New Zealand Sailability Cup!! They encounter the same problems as AHOY with our volunteers - people not showing up for activities. This means that volunteer instructors and paid instructors have wasted their time. Sailability NZ have developed a system whereby participants/volunteers buy a book of tokens (dated) at minimal cost, then value is put onto these sessions and people are more inclined to come along – what a great idea! We also talked about how AHOY operates its volunteer members – we have agreed to share information with each other to help each other.

Mark Jones Water Sports: he has been involved with boating all his life, from learning to sail between the breakwaters off Ngamoutu Beach in New Plymouth to fishing expeditions with his father out from Mt Maunganui. He has worked professionally in the boating industry in Europe and in New Zealand. Mark Jones Boating Courses was born out of the desire to assist in improving new boaties’ confidence and knowledge while at sea, so it’s safer and more enjoyable for all skippers’ and their crewmates. Mark Jones was the

recipient of a national award at the Coastguard Boating Education Awards of Excellence, held at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland in August 2007. The ‘RYA School of the Year Award’, sponsored by Mac Boats, was presented to Mark in recognition of his dedication and delivery of internationally recognized RYA courses.

Mark is an inspiration to all RYA Instructors across the world!

Lessons Learnt: Mark works across the board, he is one of the very few instructors in NZ who teach RYA accredited courses. He works with Coastguard NZ in delivering both in house and RYA accredited qualifications. Through the contacts made (thanks to him), I have come back to UK with some great ideas to put forward at the AHOY. We have to start generating income from private sponsors. He put forward an idea which involves us approaching 6 top London businesses who have their own Commodore (so we are targeting the sailors!) We invite only 6 companies to take part in a competition/regatta (3 people from each company), ask them to sponsor a boat for the season and then their logo will be printed onto its sail. This is good PR and income generation. AHOY’s plan for 2008 is to ensure that all boats are sponsored - what a great idea! As well as earning an income, we may be able to recruit some more volunteers at the same time.

Rum Races, Kiwi Yachtie Tradition A rum race is a weekly fixture on the calendar of the true-blue Kiwi yachtie. Hundreds of people skip off work an hour or so early on Thursday (or Friday) afternoon to crew on keelboats, like the Stewart 34. Traditionally the prize has always been a bottle of rum, but for the rum racers it could just as easily be the Auld Mug itself. It is the epitome of a nation mad on sailing, where the number of boats per head of population is higher than any other country in the world.

After last ‘Rum Race’ of 2007 in which I was invited to crew – what a Brill experience! Thanks to Mark

LAST STOP – Australia – Sydney

Last stop Sydney, Australia - Unfortunately at last minute Flying Fish had a change of management and emailed me to cancel out appointment, but all was not lost. I decided to use this time allocated to see the Sydney to Hobart great race which is Australia’s most famous Ocean race (sponsored by Rolex) It is over 628 nautical miles, which started from Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day, as it has traditionally has done since the inaugural race in 1945.

Over the past 63 years, the Rolex Sydney Hobart has become an icon of Australia’s summer sport, ranking in public interest with such national events as the Melbourne Cup horse race, the Davis Cup (tennis) and the cricket tests between Australia and England.

Itinerary: Florida, Seattle, New Zealand and Australia

Sydney to Hobart Race

From Left to Right: Mark Jones, Friend of Mark Jones and Aaron

There is no other yachting event in the world that attracts such huge media coverage, except of course the America’s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race.

Start Line Sydney to Hobart

SUMMARY:

This project and experience has been fantastic in 2 ways:

• I was able to visit water sports centres across the world and to see how they operate. AHOY is a newly established water sports centre in Deptford, which operates on tidal Thames and as a new centre we are always looking at ways in which we can improve and sustain the charitable status. This trip has allowed me to gain ideas and useful knowledge to put into place at AHOY. All lessons learnt will be put forward to the Steering Committee and Trustees to develop and push forward. I will aim to have many of the lessons leant put into place over the forthcoming year to improve and sustain the activities.

• Without this fellowship I would never, in my lifetime, have been able to visit these countries across the world. I have met so many wonderful people and learnt so much both personally and professionally. I would like to thank The Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship for selecting me for this incredible opportunity.

Acknowledgements I would also like to thank

• Mark Jackson and Marc Zimmerman of Tourism and Sport for Florida • Lisa St John and Ann O’Brine-Satterfield of USA Water Ski • Courtney Barlett of Centre for wooden Boats – Seattle • Ace – for showing me the sites of Seattle • Lizzie (AHOY trustees daughter living in Seattle) – for entertaining me • Mark Jones of Mark Jones Sailing School – New Zealand • Nina and Neil of National Coast Guard Boating Education – New Zealand • Tim Dempsey of Sailability New Zealand

Thank you for selecting me. By selecting me to travel the world, not only did I have a life changing experience, but I also picked up lots of new ideas about the water sports industry, which I can now put into practice at the AHOY centre