The Transformation of ASC Reading

Over the next few years, ASC Reading went from strength to strength. There was clearly a demand for watersports. With the help of the Andrew Simpson Foundation (ASF) we received grant funding and started inviting local schools to take part in sailing sessions. These sessions reached some of Reading’s most deserving children and was certainly an eye-opening experience for me. Working with students with such a range of additional needs made me think twice about how we deliver sailing lessons, but also showed me very clearly the benefits of being outside the classroom. These were children who didn’t fit in the four walls of traditional school but in the watersports environment they thrived. 

The next huge challenge to arrive came from Joanna. Jo walked into ASC Reading one day and said she had been an Assistant Instructor a long time ago and wanted to get back in to sailing. Also, she was deaf. What has followed has been an incredible journey. Once again, I was challenged to think about how to deliver sailing tuition when hearing was limited even more than usual. Thanks to determination on both sides, we have successfully carved out a full sailing programme interpreted into British Sign Language, including a RYA Dinghy Instructor course. A typical sailing weekend at ASC Reading for the deaf sailors attracts more than 20 people from the south of England, now with a waiting list. 

A huge benefit of the Reading venue has also been proximity to other local sailing clubs. ASC Reading is at the heart of the local sailing community and, for example, provides Safety Boat training to Burghfield Sailing Club to support the Club’s racing programme, as well as instructors to support RYA Training at Goring Thames SC and Island SC. This culminated in July 2023 with the revival of the Thames Challenge, a grassroots team racing event for sailing clubs in the Thames Valley area. The event brought over 7 local clubs, schools, and centres together, each with a team or two of enthusiastic young sailors! 

I think my proudest achievement of the last five years is the team that has built up around ASC Reading. The casual staff grow up at the Centre, graduating from the youth courses, to being an Assistant Instructor, then picking up RYA Dinghy and Windsurf Instructor qualifications along the way. The Centre provides not just a source of employment in the area but, through the training and development on offer, enables these young instructors to grow into well-rounded individuals who display great leadership, teamwork & communication skills. 

Starting a new Andrew Simpson Centre from scratch (nearly!) has been hugely rewarding. If we can squeeze all these things in to the last five years, I hope that the ASC Reading will continue to thrive in the coming years as a central community hub for the sailing & watersports community in the region.