Sailing Together with the Royal Naval Sailing Association and the Andrew Simpson Foundation
Sailing and Swimming Programmes Builds Confidence, Resilience, and Friendships
In 2025, 436 children and young people from serving families participated in one-week RYA sailing programmes delivered across 10 locations. These experiences offered far more than basic sailing skills; they enabled those participating to develop confidence, resilience, and meaningful friendships within a supportive and structured environment.
The impact is clear:
96% of parents reported that their child’s ability to cope with challenging situations had improved.
87% of participants said they made new friends during the programme.
This year, the Sailing programme was extended to include partners of serving personnel, helping to reduce isolation and enhancing wellbeing, especially for those who are shore-based while their serving partners are deployed.
The newly launched Go Sailing programme saw:
More than 70 Royal Navy partners completing an RYA Start Sailing course.
Free RYA Level 1 & 2 beginner courses are offered at Portsmouth, Plymouth and Faslane.
The Sail Together programmes are delivered in partnership by the Royal Naval Sailing Association (RNSA) and the Andrew Simpson Foundation.
Swimming Lessons Strengthen Safety, Wellbeing, and Family Life
Alongside sailing, our Swim Free programme reached families at scale, with over 17,000 swimming lessons delivered across seven locations during the year.
These lessons have played a vital role in:
Increasing water confidence and safety awareness.
Improving behaviour and relationships at home.
Enhancing overall family wellbeing, particularly during periods of deployment.
The feedback from families is overwhelmingly positive:
100% of families reported improved confidence and water-safety knowledge.
94% of parents/carers reported improvements in behaviour and relationships at home.
88% of families said their home environment had improved because of participation.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Building on this success, the programmes will continue to expand in 2026:
More partners will be trained as instructors, creating sustainable opportunities within the community.
Lifeguard courses will also be introduced for older teenagers, providing valuable qualifications and new employment pathways.
These programmes demonstrate the powerful role that funded educational and life-skills opportunities can play in strengthening individuals, families, and communities, both now and for the future.