14 Oct Works have started on a new accessible watersports centre at Trevassack Lake
For 20 years the Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust (HRCST) has provided the opportunity for over 500 children each year to develop their confidence and character by learning to sail on the Helford River. However, the challenging nature of the tidal river and access to it meant that only small numbers of children with disabilities were able to take advantage of this opportunity.
In 2015 the Trust acquired the 25-acre Trevassack Lake site on the Lizard Peninsular and were determined to create a world-class facility for water sports that would be accessible to every child, regardless of the severity of their disability.
“Trevassack Lake will be a safe and welcoming environment for children and adults of all abilities to learn new skills and have fun on the water. We’ll be encouraging schools, youth and community groups and the general public to visit us, try out watersports and enjoy the onsite cafe” said Simon Osborne, the Trust’s CEO.
Research, design, planning and crucially, fund-raising for this £5 million ambitious and unique project has taken four years.
By the Spring of 2019, HRCST had raised sufficient funds through private donors, Trusts, UK government and European funds to start on Phase One.
This major phase includes a fully adaptive Learning Centre, with Classroom, changing areas and catering facilities; 3 additional specialist changing facilities; 3 large Lodges, including 2 High Dependency ones, for visiting families; a solar-powered floating classroom; all site infrastructure including utilities and sewerage treatment plant; and all watercraft including adaptive sailing dinghies, kayaks and paddleboards.
For this project, WWA has been appointed as Project Managers, Quantity Surveyors and Employers Agents.
Jonathan Thornton, Trustee and Steering Group Chair explains: “From the very beginning, WWA established a working relationship that has proved highly responsive and courteous yet challenging of preconceptions. WWA’s professional knowledge of the marketplace and the construction contractors allowed the project to progress to Construction Contract with minimal delay despite enormous challenges with Coronavirus, design changes and requirements for significant value- engineering.
WWA has taken on additional roles as Employers Agents and Quantity Surveyors, and have to date been most effective in managing a complex project that has huge ambitions, with unique design requirements, and costs tightly defined by available charity funding.
As construction now starts, another phase of the responsibility of WWA comes into play. Confidence from HRCST is strong.”
Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust is now raising funds for additional specialist equipment for young people with multiple and severe disabilities for the Learning Centre. If you would like to help more young people with disabilities experience watersports, you can donate on Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust website https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/14580
To find out more about the project visit https://hrcst.org.uk/about/future/
