With 'Special Needs Education’ in the forefront of the media today, Sailing for the Disabled along with Ramsey Grammar School has launched a 6 week intensive sailing programme for 7 students from the Flexible Learning Area of Ramsey Grammar School. During March and April each Monday seven invited students will learn what it is to plan, prepare and propel a 46' sailing boat around the shores of the I.O.M. It started at a Wake when Fundraiser and Publicity Officer, Martin Sewell, met Julie Owen, Assistant Headteacher at Ramsey Grammar School, resulting in an application for membership. One or two sails later and the sailing bug clearly being established with Julie, we talked about the youth of today and how they may be helped and encouraged to become effective adults in later life. ‘Fast forward' to Christmas, when a group of SFTD enthusiasts met at RGS to confirm the shape and timing for a 6 day intensive programme for members of RGS's 'Flexible Learning Area' plus 2 of their staff, Cathy Holland and John Taylor. We decided on topics, timings, and techniques to give the 'crew' a feeling of Team Spirit, self confidence and self esteem, doing something very different from the norm! Skippers, Arne Dahn and Martin found themselves presenting SFTD's way of doing things to 170 students at RGS who really entered into the spirit of the presentation (They're both looking forward to a return visit to show them the film Arne's making of the 6 days’ programme!). Midge Dunn and Peter Ashworth from SFTD are acting as Watch Leaders, cramming a new language and a way of doing things each Monday. Martin is busy most weekends writing 'lesson plans' to ensure we can 'squeeze a quart into a pint pot' and SFTD’s Yacht Manager and Skipper Roy Madrell joined the crew to take them sailing for the first time on Monday 10th March. A great experience, no mishaps, everything happened to plan, and there were clearly the smiles of self achievement on some faces of the crew! “We may not make them sailors in six days, but they've started the journey and we sincerely hope they all derive a sense of self worth and satisfaction of a 'job well planned and done each week', and apply it to learning,work and life later!” says Martin. And as Martin whispered to Roy and Arne... " we have the elements of a plan and schedule to help all our new members do more and contribute to sailing 'Pride of Mann II ' rather than simply sitting in the cockpit!” Martin, Arne and Roy hope to be presenting some certificates at SFTD Corporate Evening on Friday May 13th to our newly established and intrepid RGS sailors! For more information on the content and the aims and objectives of the programme contact Martin Sewell at martinsewell@manx.net, or Julie Owen; Asst Head, Ramsey Grammar School - Ends -