Sailor Alex Thomson supports charity Oarsome Chance
by Sarah Taylor 26 Nov 2017 00:00 PST
25 November 2017
Alex Thomson cuts the ribbon for the new local facility at St Vincent Sixth Form College in Gosport © Duncan Shepherd for Oarsome Chance
Gosport sailor Alex Thomson announces charity support of Oarsome Chance Foundation and officially opens new local facility at St Vincent Sixth Form College in Gosport.
Sailor Alex Thomson on Saturday announced his support of Oarsome Chance Foundation, the charity which supports children aged 9-19 who have been disengaged from mainstream education in the Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant areas.
Using vocational training such as boat building and carpentry as well as teaching water-based sports, Oarsome Chance have worked with over 1500 children in their first 18 months and seen a real positive change in young people's lives.
Thomson is delighted to be a Patron of Oarsome Chance, a charity which he has been actively supporting this year. "It's fantastic to be involved in a project that is having such a big impact on children's lives by teaching valuable skills and encouraging local children to get out on the water." said Thomson.
"The work the Oarsome Chance team are doing is really inspiring. They are giving local children an opportunity to learn in a different environment. We had great fun out on the water today, racing with some of the students on skiffs which they have built themselves."
As well as engaging and inspiring the students, Thomson's team have also been supporting the charity with the loan of their RIBs and other equipment.
Through the programme, students are trained in design and construction using a fully equipped studio. It is hoped that, through this process, the young participants will find a passion in what they are doing and begin to carve out a career path for themselves, ultimately improving their overall employability prospects.
John Gillard, Principal of Oarsome Chance, added: "We are thrilled to have Alex as an official Patron of our charity, and open the facility. Alex is a huge inspiration to our students, and really connects and engages with them and teaches them that anything is possible."
Thomson's world class team, Alex Thomson Racing, are also based in Gosport, Hampshire. Headquartered at Haslar Marina, Thomson and his team are proud to be based in a prime location on the South coast, which offers a deep water berth for their record breaking IMOCA 60 racing yacht, as well as access to a great sailing area in the Solent.