CMSP Minister visits Centre of Excellence for Disabled Sailing at Castle Semple 

On Friday 19th June Clyde Muirshiel Park welcomed the visit of Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health to Castle Semple Visitor Centre, Lochwinnoch.

At the centre, Mr Hepburn witnessed children and adults with ‘additional support needs’ perfecting their sailing skills at Scotland’s first Sailability Centre of Excellence. 

The sailors, from Paisley Disability Resource Centre, Kersland School Renfrewshire, Able2Sail Youth Forum and Willowbank School East Ayrshire, enjoyed showing the Minister their boat handling skills in the Centre’s fleet of accessible Hansa 303. The boats have a weighted keel and specially designed and modified equipment making them highly adaptable and efficient for learners with disabilities.

The Minister’s visit comes just one month after Sailing’s Olympic Double Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson visited the Centre to launch Scotland’s first new Wheelyboat, allowing for trips of up to four wheelchair clients plus their carers! The purchase of this boat was funded through partnerships with the Wheelyboat Trust and Rotary Club of Gryffe Valley.

The Minister also heard about ‘Branching Out’, the award winning programme of woodland activity for mental health successfully delivered by Clyde Muirshiel’s Countryside Ranger Service. Branching Out helps adults with anxiety, depression and psychosis by overcoming feelings of isolation, providing relief from their symptoms and improving wellbeing in a relaxed woodland setting. They learn tool use through various conservation activities as well as participating in more artistic endeavours such as willow weaving, environmental art and photography.