Pop-up Sailing Club June 2025

This year, the Friends have been keen to broaden and refresh the range of social offerings for the Maisemore community, as well as encouraging more neighbours to consider volunteering to facilitate activities and harness and develop some of their own interests and skills. Part of the brilliance of our community is how varied we are in our interests, lifestyles, experiences, skills and our physical abilities, so bringing this diversity into how we socialise together is a real benefit - from sea swimming and Pilates to boules or luncheons on the green (and more) - and it will be great to see what other things we can support in the coming year.

This year we also decided to harness one of the other interests our community holds dear - watersports! And so, our "Pop-up Sailing Club" was born. With our location and the extraordinary facilities of our dinghy park and private slipway, we are the envy of the town. However, some of us are less able to engage with this element of Maisemore life - whether through physical limitations, lack of confidence or simply lack of equipment or time. Others of us love to get on the water communally - and to facilitate others to do so.

The concept was simple - bring together people who want to get on the water in some way but who may need some form of support or encouragement to do so with those who have equipment, skills and confidence - and those who just want to spend time meeting friends and enjoying our location for an inclusive, relaxed social involving the sea.

It was a great afternoon - the sun, sea and wind could not have been more perfect for the occasion, the "pop-up clubhouse" hosted superbly by number 51 could not have been more hospitable and those in the community who were determined to use this opportunity to get on the water even if they didn't usually could not have been more game! Those of us there to offer some support and encouragement (and to broker some equipment sharing) were delighted to realise that, for some, it meant their first time doing anything like it - and they loved it!

There were many partakers - around 50 I believe - some who soaked up the sun and watched others embark on their first sailing adventure and others who brought the whole family and got out there together. One of my great pleasures is building others' confidence and opportunity to get on the water - so this was just a really joyful event - with one neighbour's sheer joy at her first sailing experience being something that will stick with me for a long time.

We will definitely be looking to do similar again - and also to consider how to do some smaller events that just nudge people to head down to the water and have a go amongst friends more regularly. It will be essential for all involved to understand that this is just friends and neighbours sharing and socialising - there is nothing professional to the set up and everyone remains responsible for themselves and their children at all times. With that said, part of the joy is partnering up those who want to try something or develop their confidence with those who can help encourage and make it happen - so

we are also reflecting on whether a more structured communication option could make it easier for people to arrange to go on the water together at other times.

Anyway, one way or another many people contributed, either before or on the day, including those who couldn't attend but lent kayaks and boards and boats freely. Thank you to you all and to everyone for coming along and joining in!

Alex Maxted June 2025