Foyle Sailability, a voluntary organisation aimed at providing people with disabilities an opportunity to learn how to sail and access water based activities, are having the second regatta in Derry on 18th & 19th June.
Cathal MacElhatton, Chairman of Foyle Sailability said, “This is our
second time running the two day event. We were simply astounded by the
level of interest and the success of last year’s event. Through a great
voluntary effort we managed to provide 150 people with disabilities
access to the water over a two-day period and using a variety of
vessels. Since then, we have been very fortunate to have secured our
very own specialist Access 303 dinghy thanks to Ocean Youth Trust
Ireland, Foyle Port and the Loughs Agency. We named her ‘Foyle One’ and
hope that this will be the first in a fleet of disabled accessible
dinghies.”
Foyle One, which was funded by the Loughs Agency and Foyle Port and
managed by Ocean Youth Trust Ireland and Foyle Sailability is a
specially adapted dinghy - one of a number of Access 303 dinghies
available for the forthcoming regatta on 18th and 19th of June at the
Foyle Marina in Derry city.
He continued, “This year we are running the two-day event again in
Derry city in advance of the arrival of the Clipper boats and we are
seeking expressions of interest from people from the Foyle area (Derry,
Donegal etc) interested in taking part. We are asking interested,
individuals and groups to contact Foyle Disability Resource Centre on
028 7126 6593 or email foylesailability@gmail.com for expression of
interest forms.”
Foyle Sailability is a cross border initiative supported by three
local boat clubs - Lough Foyle Yacht Club, Lough Swilly Yacht Club and
Moville Boat Club, Derry, Donegal and Limavady Councils, Foyle Port, the
Loughs Agency, Derry District Sports Council and with corporate
sponsorship from Cable and Accessories and Fujitsu.