New Arrivals at Wetwheels
We are delighted to share the news of two new Trustee appointments at The Wetwheels Foundation – Paul Strzelecki and Gemma Osgood.
Paul Strzelecki is a marine and sailing industry veteran holding many positions including Chairman of Henri Lloyd, the company founded by his Father Henri and co-owned with his brother.
During that time he lead sponsorships of numerous events like Cowes Week and America’s Cup and individuals like Sir Ben Ainslie and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. He was a director of British Marine for many years including a stint as Chairman of National Boat Shows and brings many years of experience both in the UK and Internationally.
“I am so pleased to join Geoff and all the Wetwheels team as they celebrate 10 years of getting thousands of disabled people out on the water. In most cases this would have not been possible without the Wetwheels Foundation. I hope that I can help them expand and better the life experiences of many more people with disability in the future”
Gemma Osgood is a clinical negligence solicitor at Clarke Willmott LLP in Southampton. She has over 12 years’ worth of experience in this type of work and has worked with many disabled clients and their case managers over the years to help them get compensation for their injuries. Gemma’s work means that she is able to make a difference to those individuals whose lives have been affected as a result of negligence, and is something that she finds extremely rewarding and enjoyable.
Gemma grew up on the Isle of Wight and has always had a passion for sailing and being on the water from a young age. She raced competitively for many years, and currently races a Folkboat with her husband, actively competing in various events across Europe. In 2019 Gemma finished 5th in the Folkboat Gold Cup, and in 2011 she was awarded first lady helm in the XOD fleet at Cowes week, finishing 21stout of 146 boats!
“I am really looking forward to working with WetWheels and pleased to be working with such a great charity. As a keen sailor myself it is wonderful to see people of all ages and abilities being given the opportunity to experience life on the water and I can see how the charity’s work helps to broaden aspirations, increase confidence and directly impact on the health and wellbeing of its service users.”
Andy Fell, Chair of Trustees adds “We are very pleased to welcome both Paul and Gemma to our small but dedicated Trustee team. Volunteering is at the heart of what we do and without such passion and commitment we could not support so many people to experience the magic of being out on the open water, especially after what has been such a difficult year for so many.
We look forward to working with them and benefiting from their wide range of skills and experience – welcome onboard!”
If you would like to discuss Trusteeship at The Foundation please get in touch via our website or for more information please contact: andy@wetwheelsfoundation.org
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