The youngsters were able to get out on the water and have a go at sailing at the events which were part of Team GB’s Travel to Tokyo and RYA OnBoard’s joint goal of encouraging young people to try out new activities this summer.
Some pupils even had the chance to meet three British Sailing Team athletes, Alice Masterman, Rhos Hawes and Chris Taylor, and got to ask them questions and get some top tips on sailing before they hit the water.
Travel to Tokyo is part of Get Set, Team GB and ParalympicsGB’s youth engagement programme, created with funding from Sport England and Spirit of 2012. Travel to Tokyo allows young people and their families across the UK to get active alongside their classmates virtually and celebrate their progress online as one school team. Every activity can be logged as part of the journey to Tokyo and trying out new activities such as sailing has seen over 1 million families sign up and begin their virtual journey to Tokyo.
Run by the RYA, OnBoard is a grass roots programme which introduces sailing and windsurfing to young people aged 8 to 18, through schools, youth groups and training centres. The low cost sessions are designed to promote equal access to sailing for young people from all social and economic backgrounds, whilst encouraging their character development.
Benn Freeman, ASC Manager at Birmingham, said: “It was great to be joined by they RYA and Watermill Primary school at Andrew Simpson Centre Birmingham for the Get Set Travel to Tokyo initiative. This initiative has been a great opportunity to introduce a new school who are based within 2miles of the centre to the sport of sailing.”
Alice Masterman, British Sailing Team athlete,said: “It was really great to see young kids being given the opportunity to go out on the water in what is often considered an exclusive sport. This goes to show how accessible sailing can be and hopefully others will be inspired to follow”.
These events at Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre and Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre showcase the new ways pupils and their families can get active safely this summer as we welcome the reopening of sport facilities across the country. By getting involved with sailing and other activities, young people can benefit from the great opportunities to make the most of the summer and get active to win by logging activities as part of Travel to Tokyo.
Sign up your school for the chance to win your very own micro scooter and get started: https://www.getset.co.uk/travel-tokyo
To find more information on how to get young people into sailing visit www.rya.org.uk/onboard
