Bart’s Bash raises thousands in memory of Andrew Simpson

Laura Hodgetts

Bart’s Bash, the global sailing race that took place on 21 September, 2014 raised £366,391.95 for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation

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Bart’s Bash, the global sailing race that took place on 21 September, 2014 raised £366,391.95 for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, it has been announced.

The race was held in memory of Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson, the Olympic gold medal sailor who died in May 2013. The announcement of the grand total of fundraising was made by Freddie, Andrew Simpson’s four-year-old son and his classmates at Sherborne Primary School.

Freddie also drew the winners of two competitions which incentivised the fund raising. Terry Ross Gulf Harbour Yacht Club, David Wilkins Rutland Sailing Club, Duncan Greenhalgh York RI Sailing Club and Angus Graham WPNSA and Castle Cove SC all won a trip to Ben Ainslie Racing’s new Portsmouth base for a tour and to experience sailing on an AC45.

Chris Mayhew from Royal Harwich Yacht Club won the exciting trip to the Artemis America’s Cup base in San Francisco to meet Iain Percy and sail in the bay.

The announcement of the total comes exactly one year since the event was launched and it’s a testament to the hard work of the Bart’s Bash team that so many people made it on to the water on one special day and so much money raised in memory of Bart.

Funds raised from the event will be used to support the foundation’s national and international projects which allow any young person, regardless of circumstance, to experience the challenges and education of sailing.

The foundation will be working together with a number of not for profit sailing initiatives in the future. In 2015 a grant giving applications process opens, offering a wide range of support, financial or practical.

Richard Percy, CEO of the foundation, said: ‘A huge thank you from everyone at the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation for supporting us and helping to create a fantastic sailing event to honour a great sailor.

‘We really hope to see you all out on the water on 20 September 2015 for the next Bart’s Bash.’

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