A charity is appealing for more volunteers and participants amid aims to increase the size of its group of disabled sailors hitting the water at Chew Valley Lake/

The Chew Lake Association of Disabled Sailors (CLADS) set sail around the South West of England’s largest artificial freshwater lake most Saturdays between the end of April and the beginning of October every year.

Events are open to anyone from eight to 80, and with any form of disability. The charity, which runs sessions as part of the Royal Yacht Association’s ‘Sailability’ scheme, encourages people to get in touch with any questions on how boating can work for them.

Anyone under the age of 16 will need to be accompanied by an adult at all times.

The sessions are open to a variety of experience levels. Both those looking to take up a new interest or experienced sailors who have become infirm and unable to sail without experience are welcome.

All of the boats available are specially adapted for disabled sailors. CLADS offers four ‘challenger’ boats, which are 15 foot single-handed trimarans, a WindRider trimaran, which can carry up to five people, and a single-handed dinghy.

Chew Lake Association of Disabled Sailors
(Chew Lake Association of Disabled Sailors)

CLADS hope these events will encourage people to learn more about sailing which has social benefits and helps to improve one’s mind and soul.

The charity also needs to mix of helpers to assist with both onshore and offshore activities for the participants.

Onshore activities include helping setup boats at the start of the day and packing up at the end of the day, and sailors will need assistance getting in and out of their boats. Sailing experience is not required to be able to assist with these onshore activities.

Offshore activities involve being able to take people out on accessible dinghies and assist where necessary. While some sailing experience would be an advantage here, training is available to people where it is necessary.

Those with a disability and are looking to join in on the activities can do so by getting in contact with CLADS through the email address [email protected]. Anyone wishing to volunteer to support the running of these events can also use the same email to express their interest in helping out.

Alternatively, those who think they may be of assistance can also email CLADS’ chairman Steve Nash: [email protected].