Sailing Club Concludes 24-Hour Fundraiser for Children in Need

A 24-hour “sailathon” involving young participants was conducted to generate funds for Children in Need. Participants from Salterns Sailing Club, located in Lymington, Hampshire, aimed to collect £9,000 through continuous sailing around Eight Acre Pond for a full day. The club, managed by children, has organized this sponsored sailing event for 25 years and anticipates that this year’s fundraising will elevate its cumulative donations to £200,000. The boats commenced sailing at 16:30 GMT on Friday, concluding the challenge on Saturday afternoon. Eight Acre Pond, designated as an old saltpan and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, features shallow, tideless waters, which enhance safety for children learning to sail. The club operates under the management of young individuals under 16 years old, who extended invitations to all nearby schools to participate in the fundraising event. Current members, former members referred to as Old Salts, and associates of the sailing club also participated. Prior to the event, Holly, a member of the club’s junior committee, stated that the occasion would be “loads of fun as there is plenty of camaraderie among the team”. Club member Clodagh chose to undertake the night shift, sailing during the early hours of Saturday morning. “We aim to get through it by being in pairs and taking on half hour shifts each,” she stated. “We will also take a lot of sweets and chocolate to get through it but hopefully we will stay warm and get enough sleep.” Students from local schools were scheduled to assume duties later in the morning, with Olympic sailor Hannah Snellgrove also present to lend her support to the event. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.