King George Sailing Club celebrating 50 years and plans for the year ahead

King George Sailing Club's new website © KGSC

This year KGSC celebrates its 50th year on the North London Reservoir, which goes by the same name. With Covid restrictions now mostly lifted, we have been planning extensively for the year ahead, making sure the club has the best possible year. Help us to achieve this by being a part of the success.

In late February, we launched a new website with a much friendlier, inviting feel for all to enjoy. Feel free to take a look at www.kgsc.org.uk

We also have successfully embedded our instagram account, highlighting our activities to not just our members, but the entire sailing and watersport enthusiast community. Check it out here and feel free to follow us.

Last year, we successfully added Wing Foiling and SUP to our repertoire of watersports on the reservoir, bringing in new members; very welcome in the recent hard times. This was helped by winning a grant from Sport England for the purchase of 8 paddleboards and a new rescue boat.

New this year, to build upon on our fantastic membership increase last year, we have successfully teamed up with The London Watersports Company to start a dedicated training program. If your in the London area and want to learn from a dedicate team of instructors check out their new website here.

We also have a packed schedule of racing events for club members, including a 3-day series planned for the Easter weekend, our annual Vera Harrison pursuit race and President's Trophy at the end of August.

For non-members, we have you covered with the following open meetings. All are welcome.

• Sunday 12th June 2022- Laser/ILCA & Solo Open Meeting
• Saturday 24th September 2022- London Windsurfing Association Open Meeting
• Saturday 21st January 2023- Selden Winter Series, King George Gallop

This year's funds generated from events are going into a pot to replace our aging Laser Pico fleet. Our Laser Pico's are 26 years old and have served us incredibly well in that time. Our plan is to replace them with 6x Fusion Dinghies through match funding, donations and crowd funding. We would love your help to achieve our aim and you can read more about our plans on our CrowdFunding page. I thank you all, as a community, for anything you pledge. If you cannot pledge, please consider sharing.

As recommend by the RYA, we have also signed up to easyfundraising. If you're a keen online shopper, consider using this extension to help our club. Participating retailers make a donation to us at no extra cost to you. So if your shopping on eBay or purchasing car insurance please consider donating to us. Once again all funds will going into our Laser Pico replacement fund.

We've been fortunate this year to have also been selected for a Tesco Community Grant. Our plans with the funds that we receive are to be put into our dedicated junior sailing program, with helmets, buoyancy aids, spray tops and racing marks on the wish list. If you live within the Enfield/Chingford area why not visit one of the four stores and vote for us. After all, every little helps.

• Store no. 4693 New Road, Chingford, E4 9EY (express)
• Store no. 5327 Highams Park, E4 9EF (super store)
• Store no. 6234 Chingford Express, E4 7BE (express)
• Store no. 6339 Mount Road, Chingford, E4 8LJ (express)

Lastly, we have been working hard to improve our environmental impact. We have applied for the Bronze Award as part of the Single Use Plastic Free Initiative supported by The Green Blue and the Final Straw Foundation. Further to this, we have partnered with Wetsuit Rescue with the hope of recycling our old wetsuits, reducing the impact of our wetsuits going to landfill.

With all this in mind, KGSC is looking forward to the year ahead and with your support we hope we can achieve.