The Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation is to give grants totalling seventy one thousand, four hundred and seventy five pounds (£71,475) to not-for-profit sailing projects in South Africa, Bermuda, Scotland and England.
The grants are the first of the Charity’s formal grant giving process which opened in January 2015. Thirteen projects have been selected to receive grants ranging from £2,000 to £10,000. The projects include:
St Fergus Primary School in Aberdeenshire Scotland where the funds awarded will help provide a sailing course for 12 pupils in upper stages to be given the opportunity to gain Stage 1 and 2 RYA dinghy sailing qualifications.
Garden Route Sailing Academy, who have set up a project with Ridgeview Primary School and Sao Bra High in Mossel Bay, South Africa. This project provides children from a local township with transport to and from Mossel Bay, regular sailing sessions, a warm shower and a hot meal.
The Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation committee in Bermuda will be working to deliver the Waterwise schools sailing initiative. This is an educational based schools sailing programme that adopts the STEM curriculum (science, technology, engineering and maths).
The Foundation’s Trustees Impact committee reviewed each application to ensure the potentially funded projects were sustainable and reflect the aims and objectives of the Foundation, transforming children and young people’s lives through sailing.
Committee member Amanda Simpson, Trustee of ASSF commented “The impact committee are delighted to be able to support such worthwhile programmes to help young people get inspired with the funds raised by many amazing individuals that took part in Bart’s Bash. The grants have been awarded to projects that meet the aims and objectives of the Foundation and we look forward working in partnership with those who have received awards for the successful fruition of these schemes”
These thirteen grants are additional to the two larger grants awarded this year by the Foundation to the NSSA (National Schools Sailing Association) in the UK and the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre to carry out valuable research into the benefits of sailing, taking the total donated this year to over £180,000.
A second round of grant giving will be announced over the next few months and once again will be open to all not for profit sailing projects and community sailing programmes worldwide.