Sunsail’s Funding the Future competition returned this year after a brief hiatus to celebrate the community initiatives of sailing and yacht clubs across the UK.

A £6,000 top prize attracted entries from more than 60 sailing and yacht clubs, each showcasing the dedication and innovation within its community.

Judges unanimously voted for West Lancashire Yacht Club (WLYC) in Southport to be the overall winner.

Year 5 pupils from Norwood Primary School in Southport get afloat on the Marine Lake thanks to West Lancashire Yacht Club

WLYC impressed the judges with its strong partnership with Norwood Primary School in Southport, and how the sailing club plans to establish after-school clubs and develop an in-house training programme.

The prize money will be used to put seven teachers through dinghy sailing instructor courses to support the club’s grassroots initiative, plus the purchase of safety equipment.

‘Best school trip ever’

Ian Hughes, the honorary secretary and training principal at WLYC, told PBO that after Norwood Primary School staff approached the club about doing a school trip, they welcomed 90 children to try the sport.

The volunteer-run club, which has 330 members, took all the Year 5 children out onto the Marine Lake over three days. This proved to be so successful that WLYC is now launching an after-school sailing club, and has held open days for local families.

Year 5 pupils from Norwood Primary School in Southport get afloat on the Marine Lake thanks to West Lancashire Yacht Club

He said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be awarded this prestigious Funding the Future prize from Sunsail.

“What’s really exciting is that this isn’t just for WLYC, it’s for schoolchildren in the Southport area.

“Our yacht club and the Marine Lake has been at the heart of the community for over 100 years and it’s been a great attraction for the town, but many school children just don’t know of the facilities we have here and so few have had a go at sailing.

“We’ve got about eight primary schools within walking distance of the Marine Lake.

“Norwood Primary School approached us earlier in the summer, they were doing a literacy project in Year 5 and wanted to come down to the yacht club to have an open day. We were overwhelmed to have 90 children who wanted to come down, and we took them all sailing over three days.

“They loved it so much that we’re going to start an after school club for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils.

“We realised we needed additional resources and we’re absolutely delighted that seven teachers have signed up on our instructor programme.

“The teachers had an absolute ball, they couldn’t believe how much fun they had and all the children said it was the best school trip they’ve ever had.”

The 6,000 prize money will be used to help buy more buoyancy aids of different sizes, and fund instructor courses for the seven teachers so they can help with developing next year’s sailing activities for children.

Ian added: “The Marine Lake is a really safe place to learn to sail, just 4ft deep, and it’s walkable from the school.

“We’d really like to offer this to other schools in the area. There are 6,000 school children in our area and so few of them have actually had a chance of sailing.

“This is a great opportunity to show them that it’s accessible to all, regardless of their financial means.

“We’re delighted the funds we’ve won will help to support that initiative going forward.”

Runners up in Funding the Future 2024

Yeadon Sailing Club’s Tim Burnett, with Ian Hughes of West Lancashire Yacht Club, and Rudyard Lake Sailing Club principal Janet Shields

The award winners were announced at this year’s Southampton International Boat Show in September.

Two runners-up each secured £2,000; Yeadon Sailing Club (YSC) in recognition of its successful ‘pay what you can’ membership scheme, and Rudyard Lake Sailing Club (RLSC) for its commitment to engaging future generations of sailors.

The prizes are intended to support each club’s vision for enhancing their facilities, developing new programmes and promoting greater accessibility to sailing.

RLSC was also honoured as a runner-up, with judges recognising the club’s plans to fund the upgrade of their training storage facility, the Mud Hut, and update the club’s Picos, which are used in both junior’s and adult’s training.

Tim Burnett, membership secretary of YSC, said their ‘pay what you can’ scheme had helped to boost numbers.

The scheme invites people to contribute what they can afford, proposing a minimum of £50 per household, depending on the number of adults and juniors considering being active sailors.

Tim said: “We ask for a £50 annual joining fee per household, that includes a space in the dinghy park or we have a small training fleet and members can borrow them for free – Lasers, Toppers, Picos and Herons.

“The £2,000 prize will help us to rejig the fleet so we can cope with all the new members.”

He added: “Membership used to be about £230 with a boat or about £300 for a family, we changed this year in March. At the time, we had about 78 members and had had no new members in last year, which was abysmal.

“We had a workshop last November and a brainstorm, afterwards I suggested the ‘pay what you can’ to the club, saying ‘Let’s try this and see if it works.’

“Not one person on the membership committee batted an eyelid and a few members were really supportive.

“Now we have around 120 members, it’s really turned things around. We are honest and tell people what our running costs are and we’ve found people really do pay what they can.

“We just want to be part of the community, you never know where the next Olympic Champion is going to come from, they could come from Leeds, from Yeadon’s sailing community.”

What the judges said

Dee Caffari

Round the world yachtswoman Dee Caffari MBE, Sunsail ambassador and one of the competition judges, said: “I was very aware of the need for inclusivity and accessibility when reviewing the entries, and it was fantastic to see proposals that not only aimed to enhance facilities but also created meaningful pathways into sailing for diverse communities.

“The passion and creativity is evident in these winners and it was an honour to be part of the process. I felt very connected to the applications as they reminded me of the joy I had sailing when I was younger.”

She added: “We were so impressed with West Lancashire’s proposal as it promises to make a significant, long-term impact on the community, ensuring that sailing becomes accessible and enjoyable for all local children, regardless of their financial background.”

Year 5 pupils from Norwood Primary School in Southport try sailing on the Marine Lake thanks to West Lancashire Yacht Club

Katrina Lawson, Sunsail’s head of brand and acquisitions, said: “This initiative holds a special place in our hearts, reflecting our commitment to supporting sailing communities across the UK.

“The entries we received from clubs across the country are a testament to the dedication and creativity within the sailing community, highlighting clear visions, and the potential for making a significant and lasting impact on the clubs and their wider communities.

“Funding the Future is more than just offering financial support – it’s about empowering clubs to create positive change and we’re honoured to be part of that journey.”

Rob Clark from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), added: “With so many excellent projects, choosing the final three was difficult. While we know those selected will make the most of Sunsail’s generous investment, at the RYA, we hope to work with many more venues that showed interest, through our regional teams and funding officers. Thanks to Sunsail for supporting this initiative.”

Sunsail is already looking ahead to the next Funding the Future competition, and entries can be made at: sunsail.com/uk/funding-the-future

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