Southwold Sailing Club crowdfunding campaign to allow safe sailing for everyone hits initial target

The damaged slip at Southwold Sailing Club © SSC

Initial target met

Southwold Sailing Club (SSC) are delighted to have raised £30,000 towards their 'Save our Slip' campaign and are now well on their way to raising the total sum needed to shore up the bank of the River Blyth with a robust new dinghy launching facility to allow safe access to the water for the whole community to enjoy.

The club were awarded £15,000 of match funding from the Sport England Movement Fund, and launched a crowdfunding campaign this summer to raise a further £15,000 meet the criteria needed to claim this sum. They are thrilled that this has now been achieved and extend a huge thank you to everyone who donated to this cause, bought auction tickets or attended the Harbour Festival in June.

With this support, the club are off to a brilliant start in pursuit of their final target of £80,000, and are now applying to a range of funding bodies for further grants which will help secure the future of this grass-roots and family-friendly sailing club.

What is the funding for and why does it cost so much?

The concrete 'slip' (dinghy launching ramp) on this tidal river has been severely eroded revealing extensive damage and dangerous cracks. The replacement of this crucial structure is costly because it needs specialist equipment and expertise to sheet pile the perimeter of the slipway and fill the area with concrete. A new slipway will allow safe dinghy launching at all states of tide, and will allow the club to continue mentoring and supporting the whole community, regardless of ability, experience or boat-ownership.

What is Southwold Sailing Club?

The club offers opportunities for sailing both upriver and out to sea. It was founded in an old net-pickling shed in 1949 and seventy-five years later, its members are just as passionate about the exhilarating activity of sailing, and are keen to make it accessible to everyone, and to break down the stigma of elitism.

The club has an active sailing programme for racing, cruising and taster days, along with social events and regattas, and often hosts other East Coast sailing clubs for open meets and championships. The season mainly runs from April to October and SSC hopes that its crowdfunder campaign will encourage news sailors to come and try it out, as well as helping the community to enjoy activities on offer for many future seasons.

Quote from the club's Commodore

Commodore Henry Walker said, "We are buoyed up by the immense community support there is towards this project. This successful fundraising campaign is moving ever closer to our final target and we are really grateful to everyone who has already contributed to this campaign, and are helping to keep our vision alive. This will benefit the wider community for decades to come. We want local residents and families to safely enjoy time on the water, have a go a sailing and discover what an amazing, and inclusive activity it is."

Support this cause

The club hopes that its fundraising activity will allow work on the new slipway to begin in spring 2025. Despite this initial success, there's still a long way to go, so the crowdfunder campaign is still open! To learn more, follow or donate to the campaign please visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/saveourslip.