RYA OnBoard sailors get new boats thanks to JMST
Ten young sailors from across the UK have been awarded exclusive use of their own boat for the next two years through the ongoing partnership between the John Merricks Sailing Trust (JMST) and RYA OnBoard.
Launched in 2013, the national programme helps talented young sailors progress in the sport who may not ordinarily have the opportunity or financial backing to achieve their goals.
The 2020 recipients are:
| NAME | CLUB | BOAT |
| Josephine Rist-Heppell | Brightlingsea Sailing Club, Essex | Optimist |
| Joshua Pickard | Bowmoor Sailing Club, Gloucestershire | Optimist |
| Jude Armstrong | Upper Thames Sailing Club, Buckinghamshire | Topper |
| Alina Zubair | Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club, Lancashire | Topper |
| Cicely Blair | St Andrews Sailing Club, Scotland | Topper |
| Rory Pollard | County Antrim Yacht Club, Northern Ireland | Topper |
| Isabel Ritchie | Notts County Sailing Club, Nottinghamshire | Topper |
| Ellis Richards | Llyn Brenig Sailing Club, Denbighshire | Ilca 4 |
| Elizabeth Shilling | Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club, Co Durham | Ilca 4 |
| Rafferty Seddon | Salterns Sailing Club, Hampshire | RS Tera |
Sailor Josephine Rist-Heppell says: “Brilliant, awesome, amazing! A brand-new boat for just me to use? Wow! Thank you so much. I want to use it now. Can I sail all winter? I’d better win some races next year!”
Her mother Juliette, reported that her daughter’s reaction was to jump with joy. “This will make such a difference to her life. She has the enthusiasm, now she has the boat.”
“Wow,” was also Ellis Richards’ reaction. “This fantastic opportunity has become surreal, being a winner has left me overwhelmed. I am so lucky, excited and intrigued to see what the future will hold for me in the big world of sailing. This is going to be life changing for me and I am truly grateful.”
The JMST, set up in the memory of 1996 Olympic silver medallist, John Merricks, seeks to help young sailors and youth sailing organisations to achieve their goals. As OnBoard’s official charity partner, JMST have so far donated 86 boats and boards with some remarkable success stories.
Hannah Cockle, RYA OnBoard Operations Officer, says: “We cannot thank JMST enough for continuing to support the programme. Over the next three years, £110,000 worth of funding will be going into junior sailing. This money will have a direct impact to the recipients lucky enough to be awarded a boat – they can now feel confident that they will be able to continue their progression in the sport.
“It is such a thrill telling the sailors and their families they have been successful because we know what a difference getting a boat or board will make to their lives. OnBoard is all about making it easier and affordable to get more young people aged 8-18 on the water regularly and that is what the JMST partnership helps us to achieve.”
It has just been announced that the JMST and OnBoard partnership will continue for another three years.
