A sailing charity that helps injured veterans is celebrating after being given an anchor chain worth £600…
Turn to Starboard in Falmouth received the 60-metre chain from Seaware Ltd, a marine equipment wholesaler in nearby Penryn. The galvanised chain will help one of the charity’s yachts to meet strict safety requirements so it can be used to help veterans learn to sail.
Former soldier and Turn to Starboard volunteer, Roy Newport, said the generous donation was a great acquisition for the charity and would mean more money could now be invested in training courses. He said:
“This fantastic gift from Seaware in Penryn means our yacht will now meet the required safety standards and can be officially used as a training vessel to teach veterans how to sail. The new anchor chain replaces an existing shorter one that was more suitable for yacht racing than training. Not having to pay to purchase a new chain means we can invest more money into our training courses and support more veterans.”
Turn to Starboard is run by a group of serving and retired Armed Forces personnel, civilian staff and volunteers who believe that sailing has a therapeutic and calming effect on participants. They help military personnel affected by operations to gain sailing qualifications to help start new careers in the marine industry. They also offer sailing trips to Service families who have been affected by operations to spend time together on a skippered yacht.
Managing Directors of Seaware Ltd, Paul and Sam Clark, chose to donate the new anchor chain after been contacted by the charity. The husband-and-wife team supply more than 8500 products to boat builders, chandleries, riggers and marine engineers from their premises on the Kernick Industrial Estate. Mr Clark said:
“Turn to Starboard does a great job of helping injured veterans so we were more than happy to help them out. We have supplied the charity since we took over the business four years ago and appreciate that they need donations from time to time. We also understand that not everybody gets the chance to sail, so we are happy to help others wherever we can.”
The chain will be used on board a 47-foot yacht ‘Cisne’ which is on loan to the charity for four years by a supporter since earlier this year. Turn to Starboard’s fleet also includes a 92-foot long tall ship which was donated by the Prince’s Trust.
For more information visit www.turntostarboard.co.uk and www.seaware.co.uk