THE Royal Southampton is helping stimulate an enthusiastic interest in sailing for the charity Marie Curie Cancer Care which culminates in major regattas on the South Coast over the next three years.
The new focus in activity on Solent waters is spearheaded by Commodore Colin Lewis selecting the cancer care organisation as the Club’s nominated charity for the next two years, working closely with Olympian yachtswoman Laura Baldwin who is an avid campaigner for the organisation.
Marie Curie Cancer Care is one of Britain’s largest charities and celebrating 60 years, has a wide fundraising base, organising a host of different events, but acknowledges this had not included anything of interest to the sailing fraternity until relatively recently. The organisation specialises in providing high quality nursing, totally free, to give people with terminal cancer and other illnesses the choice of spending their last days at home, supported by their families. In addition it runs ten hospices to provide expert care for in-patients and those living at home and carries out research to improve the quality of care given to patients, operating its own research institute which investigates causes and treatments of cancer.
Much of the initial interest in sailing has been inspired by Laura who gained a bronze medal at the Athens Olympics in the Laser Class, and who captained Southampton University’s ladies sailing team in 2000 and 2001.
Her conception of a Marie Curie Regatta event at which she, and perhaps other UK top sailors might participate to raise money for the worthy cause has gathered pace, and now supported by the Royal Southampton, Marie Curie has very much put a toe in the water with the new major tri-partite series of regattas hosted by the Royal Yacht Clubs of The Royal Yacht Squadron this year, the Royal Southampton in 2009 and the Royal Lymington Yacht Club in 2010, with the first event being on August 30 at the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes. Yachtsman of the year, and Royal Southampton member, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has already agreed to give his support.
The premier event will involve two races of a variety of classes dependant on entries received, and will be from the Royal Yacht Squadron line under the expert eyes of the RYS. The entry fee for the race will be only £50 to encourage a good entry list for the event. Entries are invited form all including the corporate world and a special package is available for charter boat entries from Ondeck There might even be the chance to sail with some of the UK’s top sailors on board for extra donation to Marie Curie Cancer Care!
In the evening a black tie dinner and ball is planned as a major fund raiser at the Squadron for about 200 guests with tickets available at £120.
