£50,000 boost keeps Hykeham sailing for gold

Hykeham Sailing Club has secured a £50,000 award from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities fund.

This makes it one of the country’s first dinghy sailing clubs to benefit from Sport England’s latest initiative aimed specifically at improving facilities. Stephen Phillips, MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham, handed over the cheque to Hykeham SC last month as part of Sport England’s £135 million Places People Play legacy programme.

With its emphasis on community sport, Inspired Facilities funding will be allocated to improve up to a thousand community sports clubs nationwide and Hykeham SC’s grant will enable the club to tackle an extensive jetty and launching facilities refurbishment project.

Hykeham SC Commodore Andy Bayliss says, “We replaced our clubhouse five years ago and have surfaced most of the access track giving us shore facilities we are proud of. The waterfront, however, consists of work done when the original ‘Lindum Sailing Club’ was founded over forty years ago. This funding has given us the opportunity to bring the waterfront up to the standard of our shoreside facilities, which will make a huge difference to everyone who uses our sailing club.”

Stephen Phillips MP said, “The members of Hykeham SC should be proud of their success. This investment will create a fantastic sporting legacy for both Hykeham and the surrounding district. The fund has really hit the mark with sports clubs and provides the Olympic legacy that people want for their local community.”

Many members of the club and its various affiliates attended the presentation, including the club’s Hykeham Sailability group, Lincoln District Sailing Association, the RAF sailing club and the club’s own model yacht section. Work is due to commence on the project this month.

Meanwhile, on Saturday 21st July, Hykeham SC will be taking part in an open-to-all mass national participation event – Push the Boat Out Day – in support of the British sailing team a week before the start of the Olympic sailing regatta. Push the Boat Out Day is part of Sail for Gold, the nationwide initiative from sailing’s national governing body, the RYA, celebrating Britain’s unmatched Olympic sailing heritage and inspiring more people to get out on the water more regularly. All are welcome join in the fun for free on and off the water as Hykeham SC bids to get as many boats on the water as possible to show their support for the Olympic team from sailors midday to 5pm.

Hykeham SC are enthusiastic participants in RYA Sail for Gold, bringing the buzz of the Olympics as close as home to possible for everyone, wherever they live. The club’s next Sail for Gold ‘Have A Go’ Taster session takes place at Hykeham SC on Saturday 18th August.

(Story courtesy of Lincolnshire Today)