Sponsorship & Support

Introduction by Pip Hare:

Overview and aims

  • Visually Impaired Sailing Association (Visa-gb) is managed by six visually impaired Trustees, supported by two sighted Trustees. Through the freedom of sailing Visa-gb aims to empower, motivate and encourage the visually impaired in their lives and to help build lasting friendships.
  • Visa-gb provides sailing experiences for the over 18s on yachts of 36 to 44 feet. The trips range from 1 day to 7 days, inshore and offshore sailing from four locations across the UK where we work with the local communities to establish a permanent legacy for the visually impaired.
  • All boats have the support of three sighted volunteers including a Yachtmaster, but the crew are all visually impaired and will perform every duty on the boat from raising the sails and helming to berthing the yacht.
  • Our Patron is Pip Hare, an ocean racer and lifelong sailor who was 19th in the 2020/21 Vendee Globe and the first British skipper over the line. Dee Jones, our chairman has a long-established interest in activities which support and enrich the lives of the visually impaired delivered through her not-for-profit organization, Sense Adventures.

 

Facts and Figures

  • 2 million people live with sight loss and every day another 250 start to lose their sight.
  • Sight loss can lead to social isolation, loneliness and depression.
  • Only 27% of working age visually impaired are in work compared to 51% of disabled people and 75% of the general population.
  • Visa-gb has a database of 280 with 160 active visually impaired members and over 60 sighted volunteers.
  • For 2022 Visa-gb expects an income of circa £25k and to provide 44 places for the visually impaired on 9 different trips at a participant cost of circa £50 per day.

 

What our members say and do

  • “The trip far exceeded my expectations which were tinged with a lot of ‘what if’s’ …  But I need not have worried, and as I said more than once it was just so lovely to be able to be yourself – not having to worry about not being able to see as that bit was ‘a given’.”
  • “The reason why I like sailing with Visa is because you are valued as yourself. We all get a chance to have a go at all aspects of sailing, and no matter how good or bad you are you are never judged or looked down upon by anyone. We all have a good laugh, and it is a good way to make new friends as well as learning new skills.”

See a visually impaired member in action having never sailed before, helming a 44-foot yacht unaided in a Force 5.

 

Why we need your support

  • Visa-gb has successfully provided subsidised trips for the visually impaired at a cost of circa £50 per day but would now like to extend access.
  • With only 27% of working age visually impaired in employment, then a cost of £50 per day can be a barrier to joining a Visa-gb trip, particularly if this is a first experience of yacht sailing.
  • The charity would now like to provide free trips to those who have not previously sailed with Visa-GB. By doing so then a potential barrier can be removed to allow a wider cohort to benefit from the experience of yacht sailing.
  • As volunteers provide their time and skills free, the most significant cost of any trip is the charter of a yacht, typically £3,000 for a seven-day period for 5 visually impaired crew.
  • Our aim is to provide 25 free places in 2023. To do this we need to be confident we have sufficient volunteers who can commit their time and skills and that we can secure funding.
  • We have secured the volunteer’s time and skills, we now need to secure the funding.

We’d love to talk to you about how you might help us, please email Stuart at treasurer@visa-gb.org.uk to start the conversation.

We believe in the three E’s:- Empower | Encourage | Enjoy.