PSC young members awarded £1000 for environmental challenge at Surrey Schools Regatta
Papercourt Sailing Club has been awarded a cheque for £1000 by local Volvo dealer Squire Furneaux Guildford, after entering the Volvo Eco Challenge. The Volvo Eco Challenge was set up to provide grants of up to £1,000 to sailing clubs across the UK for young people aged between 10 -16 to undertake an environmental initiative at their club. Sailing is seen as an environmentally friendly sport, but research has proven that Sailing Clubs are struggling to comply with current environmental legislation.
Andrew Wales, from Squire Furneaux Guildford presents the cheque to PSC Vice Commodore Chris Granger
A group of local young sailors from Papercourt Sailing Club took on the challenge of making their club more environmentally friendly. The plan submitted involved controlling the amount of weed growing in the lake, to maintain a habitat suitable for a diversity of wildlife.
The award was made on the day of the Surrey Schools Regatta by Andrew Wales, sales manager from Volvo dealership, Squire Furneaux Guildford, to Chris Granger, Vice Commodore and some of their junior members who researched and developed their environmental project.
Chris Granger said “It has been great to have the youth involved in applying for a grant and helping to move the club forward, this grant shows the juniors of the club how small changes can make a big difference to the club and the environment. The club is very grateful to Volvo and to the youth sailors who have made this possible"
Andrew, from Squire Furneaux Guildford said “With the Volvo Eco Challenge, Volvo hopes to help a new generation who are ready to think creatively to reduce environmental impact in their local sailing community, something Volvo strives to do continually. It is so encouraging to see a group of youngsters who are willing to embrace the concept of environmental health, take hold of a project and see it through to the final phase. We felt it was a genuine effort that will definitely pay off in the long term.”
“Line clear” – close quarters action in the Slow Fleet at the Papercourt Surrey Schools Regatta
Over 60 young sailors participated in the Surrey Schools Regatta which saw some close racing in the light conditions. Divided into two fleets, three races were run for the fast fleet with 15 boats and the slow fleet with 43 boats. Winner of the fast fleet and the Feva class was Sammy Bonella with crew Lucy Cuckow of Tormead School in Guildford. Second was Matthew Goodbourne of Royal Grammar School, Guildford who also won the Laser Class. The massive slow fleet was won by Murray Hampshire of RGS with 3 straight firsts. Murray was also the winner of the Young Sailors prize and the Optimist fleet. Simon Hamment of Papercourt Sailing Club was second, also in an Optimist, and Helena Coombes of Tormead, third.
Surrey Schools Regatta prize winners from l to r: Matthew Goodbourne, Charlotte Bonella, Murray Hampshire, Lucy Cuckow and Oliver Machell
Martin Smith, was delighted to have been the Race Officer for the day. He said “It is great to have so many keen and able young sailors at Papercourt. We aim to run family friendly events here and this is yet another example of the benefits of Papercourt. Well done to the deserved winners.”
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Results
For full Surrey Schools Regatta Results click here
