THE 2017 Sailability season has started at Frensham Pond, and with it, the arrival of two new boats.

They are Hansa 2.3s, the type of boat specially suitable for those starting to sail independently and also used by Sailability’s Saturday youth sailors.

One of them, named ‘Windsprite’, was launched earlier this month. It was funded by grants from The Borrows Charitable Trust and Surrey County Council.

Sally Borrows, a trustee of the Borrows Charitable Trust, and Farnham town councillor, Pat Frost jointly launched the boat.

Sally noted from watching Sailability sailors and helpers that she had been very impressed by Sailability’s activities when she had first visited Frensham towards the end of the 2017 sailing season, and she was delighted that the Borrows Trust was able to be the primary funder of a new boat.

Mrs Frost said that she had known Frensham Pond Sailability for many years and was delighted to be able to sponsor support from Surrey County Council. Frensham Pond Sailability trustee, Brian Grimwood, thanked both donors.

The group’s aim is to give people, with a wide range of disabilities or medical conditions, the opportunity to participate in an outdoor sport. Participation can vary from cruising around the pond with a buddy helm, to fully independent competitive racing at Frensham and at other locations in the UK and in Europe.

Sailability’s fleet of 29 boats ranges from starter boats to Paralympic class boats. For more information see the website www.fren

shampondsailability.org.uk.