The smiles say it all at last year’s Bart’s Bash in Weymouth with Olympic sailors enjoying themselves just as much as the young Bashers! Image: Sportography.

The Andrew Simpson Foundation is the charity that was set up to honour the life and legacy of sailor Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson MBE who lost his life, aged 36, in a tragic accident during training for the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco Bay in 2013.

One of the ASF’s core activities is the provision of both practical and financial support in the delivery of inspiring sailing programmes around the world, in memory of Bart.

The Foundation collaborates with charitable and not-for-profit sailing initiatives, nationally and internationally and the Round 3 Grant process has culminated in some very worthwhile projects being given the green light to deliver over the next 12 months.

Up to and including 2017 to date, there have been 45 individual projects delivered and grants pledged, totalling £736,000 across 12 countries. Whilst the big numbers may look impressive, it’s often the smaller projects where a Foundation grant being awarded can make the crucial difference between disadvantaged young people getting on the water or not.

For example:

  • Wellington Sailability in New Zealand has been awarded funding towards the building of a new pontoon to significantly increase the offering to its local Sailability group.
  • The Foundation has approved a grant application from the RYA to help subsidise six Race Coach Level 2 courses to the tune of £2,000 with the participants all being selected from the ‘Para Programme’ and with a commitment to volunteer back into Sailability coaching programmes run at their local clubs.
  • £1,000 has been granted to Prestwick Sailing Club to buy buoyancy aids and wetsuits and the South-West Youth Sailing Academy will receive £3,000 to cover their lead coach for eight training weekends for 50 youngsters over the course of the winter.

The 2017 campaign rolls out on the Foundation’s stand at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show in early March (4-5 March) and continues throughout Cowes Week (29 July-5 Aug) where the Andrew Simpson Foundation is this year’s Official Charity, and then the big Bart’s Bash weekend (16-17 September).

andrewsimpsonfoundation.org