Boost for resurgent Lairg sailing club as salmon producer funds purchase of new boats, paddleboards and safety equipment
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A Sutherland sailing club has secured funding from a local Scottish salmon producer to purchase new boats and equipment.
Loch Shin Sailing Club secured more than £7,000 from Cooke Aquaculture Scotland to purchase two Bahia sail boats and three stand-up paddleboards.
The funding from Cooke’s community benefit fund also enabled the purchase of crucial safety equipment including life jackets, wet suits and first aid kits.
Cooke also provided funding for subsidised hoodies for members, with proceeds going directly to club funds.
Loch Shin Sailing Club enables people to go out on the water in dinghies, canoes, kayaks and paddle boards.
Since the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions the club has seen its membership rise sharply to more than 85 members, spanning all ages and abilities.
Members got to see some of the new purchases in action at a family BBQ in Lairg to mark the end of the season, and the club is already looking forward to the start of the new sailing season early next year.
Sailing club membership secretary Dr Fiona Fraser said:“Loch Shin Sailing Club has had a fantastic re-engagement within the community with adults, children, teenagers, and families, as reflected in its growing numbers, since the relaxation of Covid restrictions. On any given Saturday we have as many as 50 members in the water on sailing boats, paddle boards, kayaks and canoes.
“Cooke Aquaculture Scotland’s funding has enabled us to provide the necessary equipment to facilitate these numbers and we are extremely grateful for their support.
“We hope to continue with this success improving the health and wellbeing and creating a sense of belonging for all our members and any new members who wish to join us when we start back up in 2022.”
Murray Munro, site manager at Cooke Aquaculture Scotland’s Loch Shin freshwater facility said: “As a family-owned company it's vitally important to us to develop and maintain excellent relationships with our neighbours, especially community groups and sporting organisations that share the same water as we do.
“Loch Shin Sailing Club has a great community and family ethos and by all accounts they must be one of the fastest growing sailing clubs in Scotland.
“We are very happy to support our neighbours to invest in new boats, paddleboards and safety equipment to help them to get more young people safely enjoying the water.”
