WESTBURY’S sailing club is on the lookout for budding young sailors as it opens up to new membership for the 2016 season, which begins in March.
The West Wilts Youth Sailing Association (WWYSA) was founded 48 years ago and is based at the lake on Station Road in Westbury, where volunteers teach both children and adults to sail.
The club will be sailing on calmer waters in 2016, after last year saw it recovering from a devastating fire. New members, aged eight and over, are invited to get involved.
Volunteer Emily Abbott said, “I would encourage anyone interested to come down and give us a try. The children all love learning to sail so locally and making new friends. It’s quite a different skill to the team games or games consoles they normally spend their evenings playing.
“Fresh air, a bit of exercise, and the opportunity to progress through the syllabus and become instructors themselves is what most of our youngsters aspire to. Parents have said that their children gain confidence alongside sailing skills on the water and social skills on the waterside. As they become instructors themselves, the really young ones develop a natural social awareness and respect. And, of course, anyone joining us can expect to get very wet!”
WWYSA is a Royal Yacht Association-recognised sail training centre, of which there are no others within 45 miles. It provides competency, safety, supervision and social activities for those who wish to develop their sailing and power boating skills at any level.
To find out more, visit www.wwysa.org.uk
