The Monte Real Sailing School closed this Wednesday its third adapted sailing course for people with all kinds of disabilities
· The Regional Minister of Social Policy, José Manuel Rey Varela, highlighted the progress that initiatives such as that of the Baionese club signify for society
· The Monte Real Yacht Club thanked the Xunta de Galicia and Fundación Repsol for their support in order to continue with this type of course
The Monte Real Club de Yates held this Wednesday in Baiona the closing ceremony of the Adapted Sailing Course 2015-2016, in which some 65 students from different disabled associations in Galicia participated over the last year.
It is the third course of these characteristics that the Baiona club has taught since the creation, in 2012, of its Adapted Sailing School, through which it aims to bring people with functional diversity closer to the sea so that they can navigate under equal conditions.
In recent months, students with physical, psychosocial, cognitive and sensory disabilities from the Juan María de Nigrán Center, the Vontade de Tomiño Association and the Redondela Center for People with Disabilities attended theoretical classes with specialized monitors, went out to navigate the bay and participated in different activities related to sailing.
The final touch of the course was put this morning by the delivery of diplomas held at the facilities of the Monte Real Yacht Club, an act that was chaired by the Regional Minister of the Xunta de Galicia, José Manuel Rey Varela. In his speech, the head of Social Policy of the regional administration, highlighted the great work carried out by the Baionese club with people with different abilities. “A society – assured Rey Varela – is valued for how it treats people, and in this sense the Monte Real Yacht Club is an example to follow ”.
In his speech before the students of the adapted sailing course, the Regional Minister of the Xunta mentioned the recognition for his good practices received a few months ago by the Monte Real Adapted Sailing School at the Berlin International Tourism Fair. He also recalled the distinction that the Association of Environmental and Consumer Education (ADEAC) awarded the club in 2014 for its work in the elimination of architectural barriers and care for people with disabilities.
On behalf of the Baionese club, its president, José Luis Álvarez, intervened to welcome and congratulate all the students of the course, and to thank the Xunta de Galicia for its support of the initiative, through the Department of Social Policy and the Secretary General for Sport. Vice President Alejandro Retolaza encouraged public administrations and other companies and institutions to continue supporting the Adapted Sailing School, so that it can expand its services and reach more and more people.
In his speech, Retolaza also recalled other initiatives promoted by the club to promote adapted sailing, such as the Spanish Championship of the 2.4mR Class, which will be held in Baiona on the 24th, 25th and 26th of this month. There are three days of regattas in which athletes with and without disabilities, coming from different parts of Spain, will compete on equal terms in the bay of Baiona.
He also announced the celebration, on September 10, of the second edition of the Solidarity Vertiathlon, a triathlon organized in collaboration with the Baiona city council with which they will raise funds for the Monte Real Adapted Sailing School.
The closing of the 2015-2016 Adapted Sailing Course was also attended by the General Director of Seniors and People with Disabilities of the Xunta de Galicia, Coro Piñeiro; the Councilor for Social Welfare of Baiona, Mª Carmen Paredes; the Councilor for Accessibility of Baiona; Policarpo Vilar; and Inés González Megido, on behalf of Fundación Repsol. After the delivery of the diplomas to the students, the event ended with a family photo of all the participants and authorities present.
The next adapted sailing course of the Monte Real Club de Yates will begin in September.
