JOG partners with Clean Sailors to help push the sustainability agenda in the UK yacht racing community
With up to 40% of ocean litter coming from maritime pursuits and the latest IPCC report underlining the importance for every single organisation on this planet to get on board with fighting climate change, the pressure is building within the marine industry to do their bit by taking responsibility for their actions. JOG Yacht Racing want to play their part by using their club platform to educate and drive sustainability within the UK’s south coast yacht racing community.
As the first step in this journey, they have partnered with Clean Sailors, a not-for-profit driven by Holly Manvell. Clean Sailors will be working with JOG on an engagement programme that will be rolled out over the coming year. The programme is focussed on helping engage JOG members through putting a sustainability lens on different aspects of yacht racing such as the effects of antifoul on the marine environment and how to keep your sails in top shape for as long as possible whilst constantly offering solutions to help drive change.
Stuart Lawrence, Race Captain of JOG Yacht Racing says “clubs can play such an important part in this transition. When we are out racing offshore, we see the effects climate change is having on the weather systems and the ghost nets and plastic bottles that float past us. We need to protect our playground, the ocean, and it is for this reason that we are really excited to start our journey through partnering with Clean Sailors.”
Holly Manvell, Founder of Clean Sailors says “As a team of sailors ourselves, it’s very special to join with those who directly share our passion and enthusiasm for our waters. We are delighted that JOG is joining us for this journey and look forward to all we can achieve together. We sailors have used our waters for thousands of years, so let us be firm leaders in helping to protect them.”
–ENDS-
About Junior Offshore Group (JOG)
JOG is a yacht club with a difference. What makes JOG different is known amongst the members at “the spirit of JOG”, it is an outlook and an attitude that captures and combines serious seamanship with a chivalrous but competitive edge and lots of joie de vivre.
Since 1950, they have been focused on making coastal and offshore racing accessible to small boat owners by keeping entry fees modest. Whilst they take racing seriously, they value sportsmanship and community above all else. They encourage supporting each other by swapping sailing yarns and tips inside JOG enabling them to perform to their best standard which produces a competitive but friendly yacht racing environment.
Image credit: Rick Tomlinson
