Welcome
The charity was established in 1996 with the aim of assisting disabled sailors to win competitive yacht races.
It has sought to do this by:
- Providing opportunities for disabled sailors to take part in competitive yachting.
- Promoting racing for the disabled and encouraging the integration of disabled sailors with the able bodied racing community.
- Raising public awareness that it is possible for disabled sailors to compete on equal terms with the able bodied.
- Helping with the training of competitive teams and individuals.
- Providing Sonars for disabled sailors to be used for race training and competitive events.
- Encouraging the development of aids and equipment that will enable disabled sailors to compete on equal terms.
It evolved as a direct result of a campaign to provide funds for the 1996 Paralympic Sailing team. Andy Cassell, who was born without legs, was selected to helm for Great Britain after winning the European and World Disabled Championships in 1994/5. As a yachtsman who normally competes against the able bodied, he started to encounter various barriers and difficulties, not least of which was financial.
The first problem was a lack of available funding for training and equipment and a campaign was launched in later '95 to raise the money needed to train the team in preparation for the Paralympics. A group of people came together to co-ordinate the fund raising and by mid-summer the campaign had raised enough money to purchase two of the Sonar boats used in the Paralympics, ship them to England and then finance the training costs of the team and coach.
Andy and his team went to Atlanta and returned with a Gold Medal.
However, the campaign had highlighted the problems experienced by disabled sailors and Andy felt he would like to continue to help other disabled yachts men and women to have the same opportunities and explore their personal potential.
He thus created the Andrew Cassell Foundation.
