Dame Ellen continues her support for
HH -
Trustee Digby talks about why she's our patron
 Dame
Ellen MacArthur is continuing her support for Harry's Hydro. We asked
Ellen in 2000 to become patron, and were delighted when she said yes.
This was before her incredible second place in the tough Vendee Globe
Race, and her recent round the world record, which many sailing experts
like Sir Robin Knox-Johnston thought would stand for 10 years.
Dame Ellen's
association comes through Harry's Hydro trustee Digby Fox, who interviewed
her several times when working for Yachts & Yachting magazine. "I
met Ellen in 1995," says Digby, "when she was sailing her
21ft boat around Britain. It was at the Southampton Boat Show, and I
went down with our photographer to get a picture caption. Ellen was
wonderful - enthusiastic, bubbly, so welcoming.
"Christel,
the phographer, and me stayed for about two hours, and the caption eventually
grew to a four page feature, the first big article I think anyone had
written about this girl. Anyway, I did a few more articles, stayed with
Ellen and Mark Turner beofre their first transatlantic race, and saw
Ellen at various events. She encouraged me to do my Yachtmasters, which
I did, and that encouragement by Ellen is still so strong, but on a
huge scale now.
"When
my wife Paula and I lost Harry, our friends in the sailing industry were
remarkably supportive. Our first big fundraiser was a sail across the
Channel in a small beach catamaran.
"When
we thought about a patron, Ellen was a natural choice.
"I've
interviewed many great sailors, but the thing that struck me about Ellen
early on was her sense of joy at being out on the water, connected to
her boat, and connected to the natural world around her. This sense
of being buoyed up by water is completely what Harry's Hydro is all
about.
"Personally,
I'm a great believer in the recuperative power of water. I saw it most
strongly with our son Harry, and I feel it whenever I go for a swim,
or get on a boat.
"Ellen
was better known in France before the Vendee Globe, and her catchphrase
there is 'A donf!' - Go for it!
"So
we are.
Harry's
Hydro to become centre of excellence
Harry’s
Hydro is the only hydrotherapy project in the UK to receive a Special
needs small project award to become a centre of excellence and to pave
the way for future centres in the UK. MORE...
Dublin
to Galway in beach cats for HH
 The
two Brits sailing around Ireland on beach cats are the first to make
halfway on these type of craft – but the whimsical Irish weather
has made sure that’s as far as they’re going.
MORE...
A
sailing first around Ireland
Two British
sailors will mount a sailing first this week when they embark on a charity
fund-raising sail around Ireland. MORE...
 Big
Abba party for HH
How does
an enormous, top of the range, luxury marquee grab you? Put it on the
grounds of Frome Rugby Club; add top Abba tribute band – SOS;
throw in tables for ten; helium balloons galore; add asit down buffet
and DJ with sounds and you have one of the top parties to happen in
Frome this year!
MORE
|
