Working with Sport England
We were delighted to visit Torquay this season with Wetwheels South West as we prepare for the arrival of Wetwheels Torbay, the 8th boat in our expanding fleet.
Bringing our Wetwheels South West boat with our expert crew, based in Falmouth, was the ideal way to both showcase our work and welcome new participants onboard, to access the open water for the first time.
Wetwheels South West was made possible due to the partnership between Sport England and The Wetwheels Foundation. In 2019, The unique role played by Wetwheels across our communities was identified as an opportunity to offer disabled participants a new and fully accessible activity. We have been working as a strategic partner since that time, including throughout the pandemic which created so many challenges for us all.
“Barrier-free” is at the heart of what we do linked to accessible, enriching shared experiences on the water – with the combined effects on both physical and mental wellbeing in this unique sensory environment. Perceived obstacles are reassessed, new skills are learned and new-found independence is discovered. More than 80 per cent of Wetwheels’ participants have never previously been on the open water.
With full wheelchair access to the boats we welcome those with the most profound disabilities and impairments or life-limiting conditions. All are active participants, rather than simply passengers, with the opportunity to steer the vessel and learn seamanship alongside peers, friends and families – and also to simply have fun. Participants are able to have a single experience or return over time.
The Wetwheels South West story is an incredibly successful one - as a severely disabled yachtsman adventurer I founded Wetwheels in 2011 shortly after I became the first severely disabled person to circumnavigate Great Britain and then sail unassisted across the Atlantic Ocean. For many disabled people - myself included - the impact of the pandemic will last longer and be more profound than for most. We believe, more than ever, that Wetwheels is playing an important part in the health and wellbeing of our participants, as well as their families and carers.
There is something very special about being on the water. For someone with a disability, being at sea offers unparalleled freedoms. Your mind and imagination fill with things that once didn’t seem possible. Paralysed from the neck down in an accident at the age of 18, I have maintained the passionate belief that anything can be achieved given a positive approach and the support to help make that dream a reality.
We have seen in the 3 years since placing a boat in Cornwall, the true impact of reaching what can so often be the hardest to reach groups and individuals, who are so often overlooked or forgotten when it comes to physical activity and true inclusion.
It was a real pleasure to welcome Garnet onboard as a guest of Wetwheels and we had a lovely group join us, exploring coves and secret spaces as well as driving with some new budding Skippers! Having already given more than 50,000 disabled people the exhilarating opportunity to spend time on the water, the charity is expanding to meet an increasing need and demand – and there remains a lot to be done.
May I take this opportunity to express our deep thanks and appreciation for the support we have received from Sport England and we look forward to the next stage in the journey.
Geoff Holt MBE DL - Founder and Trustee
