LA UNCHING What does having her own boat mean
for alina? Naz: It’s given her the opportunity to develop her skills and take part in RYA regional events. I’m a single mother of four and can’t afford to buy her a boat, but I’m keen to support Alina’s sailing in whatever way I can, including
travelling to events. Rebeccah: Winning this boat is going to really help Alina to progress with her
Alina and her mum, Naz, are delighted with her new boat and the opportunities it offers.
sailing skills independently. Dave: Instead of having to share a limited number of club boats with other juniors, Alina now has her own boat that she can sail whenever she wants. The use of a JMST Topper will allow Alina to access the RYA NW Junior Traveller Series, in the first instance, to broaden her experience by sailing at other clubs.
What’s it like to sail as a family activity? Naz:We love the outdoors, being
On board for sailing success
Q&A | ALINA ZUBAIR
Promising young sailor Alina Zubair tells us how much it means to receive a boat from the John Merricks Sailing Trust
A
s the official charity partner of RYA OnBoard since 2013, the John Merricks Sailing Trust (JMST)
provides equipment for young sailors who may not have the opportunity or financial backing to buy their own, giving them the chance to pursue their sailing or windsurfing ambitions. And after two years, the equipment is passed to the sailor’s club for everyone to use. Over the past seven years, the scheme has supported 99 young sailors at 69 venues, while the OnBoard scheme has introduced over 900,000 youngsters to sailing since 2005. Last year, it was confirmed our partnership with JMST has been extended for three years, with an additional investment of £110,000. Twelve-year-old Alina Zubair from Rochdale is the latest young sailor to benefit from the OnBoard-JMST partnership after taking ownership of a new Topper in December. Alina first tried sailing on an OnBoard course organised by her former school, Greenbank Primary, and Hollingworth
Lake Water Activity Centre. She enjoyed it so much she soon took part in the North West OnBoard six-hour race, and along with her mum and sisters joined Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club. We chatted about the JMST scheme
with Alina and her mum, Niazmine (Naz), as well as Alina’s former school teacher, Rebeccah Jones, and Dave Smith, training principal at Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club.
What was it like when you found out
you’d been awarded a JMST boat? Alina: We couldn’t believe it, we were really happy. We’re also very thankful to the JMST and the RYA and club team who told us about the scheme.
naz, Did you think sailing was an
unusual hobby for Alina? Naz: If anything, I was actually quite frightened at first, but I’ve seen Alina sailing across Hollingworth Lake by herself and it just amazes me – I’m very proud of her.
physically active and the thrill and adventure that brings. We’ve met some amazing people and we were made very welcome at the club. We’ve made some
fantastic friends. Alina: It’s really fun because we can all sail together.
How has sailing benefited Alina and
other students at her school? Rebeccah: Learning to sail has taught many of our children so many new skills and has been a really successful addition to our outdoor learning opportunities. They learn about technical aspects of preparing the boats, as well as weather and safety, and they work as a team as well as independently. They gain resilience and grow in confidence. These are all skills we’ve seen with Alina and we hope they’ll continue now she has this new boat.
how will the new boat help the sailing
club once Alina’s finished with it? Dave: The boat will be a welcome addition to our fleet of club boats. It will allow access to the sport for members who can’t afford to purchase their own boat. It’s a good illustration of how sailing has become far more inclusive – it helps dispel the perception that sailing is a sport only for the wealthy.
To find out more about the OnBoard
scheme visit
www.rya.org.uk/onboard. Learn more about the John Merricks Sailing Trust at
www.jmst.org.uk
17
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
