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Two charities which receive regular support from Ports of Jersey held a joint event earlier this month, which enabled their guests to experience the thrill of both a power boat trip and a flight, all in one day.
Wetwheels and Helping Wings teamed up to provide an exciting day out for 38 clients, starting with breakfast at St Helier Yacht Club and providing 18 flights and four boat trips throughout the day – with all Wetwheels guests taking a turn to drive the boat.
Chair of Helping Wings, Eveline Hawkins, said: “It’s wonderful to see how our pilots and helpers enjoy the events and keep on volunteering. Our reward is simple: to see the joy on everyone’s faces after their flights.
“This unique experience can bring different value for everyone, but without the two charities our guests may never get the opportunity to drive a boat or experience Jersey from the air. One young man, David Harburn, who had always wanted to fly in a helicopter, said it was ‘a dream come true’ and one which he thought he would never realise.
“By the end of the day, a positive transformation could be seen in all, with the day providing an enabling and confidence-building set of new experiences.”
Chair of Wetwheels, Brian Watt, said: “I always try to volunteer as crew on this very special day for so many of the participants. It serves as a strong reminder of the wonderful benefits we deliver for all our participants. We are grateful for the strong support from Ports of Jersey, both for this event and in other ways throughout the year.”
Ports of Jersey provided £2,000 in sponsorship to help the two charities run the day’s activities.
Contacts for anyone wanting to get involved as a client or volunteer -
Wetwheels, you can contact Dina Rogan at dina@wetwheels.je (Tel:07797 919006).
Helping Wings, you can contact Eveline Hawkins hello@helpingwingsjersey.org (Tel: 07797 752835).
Helping Wings - aims to share the excitement of flying in a light aircraft with Jersey residents who would otherwise not get the chance. Since its inception in 2008, more than 1000 guests have enjoyed a flying experience, either by participating in an activity day or on an individually arranged flight.
Wet wheels – promotes disabled powerboating and encourages participation from all areas of the community, regardless of gender, age, or ability. It aims to ensure everyone can access the water with a safe, barrier-free, enriching experience.
