RYA Foundation 

The RYA Foundation has been formed with the objective of making boating more accessible to everyone, regardless of circumstance.

Introduction

The RYA first created its own charity in the form of RYA Sailability in 1995.  Incorporated in 2000, RYA Sailability’s mission was to make sailing accessible to people with disabilities.  The charity did this by endorsing ‘foundation sites’ – clubs and groups whose facilities and volunteers reached a satisfactory standard – and working with the RYA to open its training and racing programmes to people with a disability.  By late 2012, it was felt that the charity had substantially achieved its mission:  and the RYA’s delivery mechanism – the RYA Sailability Programme – was providing all the advice and support that the foundation sites and other sailing providers needed.   This Programme was well funded by Sport England, other charities and the RYA itself.  

Following an internal review in 2013, the RYA’s Board of Directors decided to expand its charitable efforts into an ‘RYA Foundation’ with the object of:  “the promotion of participation in boating by those who are disadvantaged by reason of youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances”.  The RYA Sailability charity was transformed into the RYA Foundation in December 2013, with revised company Articles and the new, wider Objects.  

The RYA Foundation remains a company limited by guarantee and the sole member is the RYA.  The RYA appoints the directors/trustees of the Foundation and the inaugural trustees are:  Richard Langford (Chairman), Peter Gray and Simon Barter.  HRH The Princess Royal has continued as Patron of the new charity.  

The Foundation’s Vision

The trustees’ vision for the Foundation is:  “A world where boating is accessible to everyone, regardless of circumstance”.  This implies a wide remit, and the trustees are conscious that the best results are likely to come from partnering other charities, individuals and organisations in the promotion and delivery of boating to the target audience.  However, the Foundation is a facilitator and instrument of change, rather than a boating provider itself.

 

Initial Objectives

The trustees have the following objectives for the next two to three years:  

1. To achieve name recognition throughout the recreational boating sector for the RYA Foundation;  ensure understanding that it is the charitable arm of the RYA;  promote awareness of its Objects and help it to find its place amongst the established boating-related charities.  
2. To strengthen the financial resources available to the Foundation and other boating-related charities and make this available through increased grant making.  

 

The RYA Foundation Charity Commission Number: 1084351