How it all Started Brian Stanley, Founder and Honorary President

Every time I am at Wealden Sailability, I am so pleased that I decided to research the opportunity back around 2006.

While Commodore of Bough Beech, I received calls from both RYA Sailability and Kent County Council asking if I would consider establishing a new Sailability Centre at Bough Beech.

The problem was that we had no money and no boats. Just a bunch of guys with a lot of enthusiasm. We managed to attract some funds including from the Lottery Fund. We started in 2008

Our first boats were the Laser Stratos Keels. In our first year we managed to acquire 6 boats and the fleet started to build.

Over the next 3 years, the management team grew and during that time David Mckee joined and subsequently became a trustee and then Chairman. We wanted to expand our operation but Bough Beech management were not enthusiastic. Our future was in severe doubt.

It was agreed to move to Chipstead Sailing Club who could not have been more helpful. In June 2011 all our boats and equipment were moved to Chipstead. Not a day’s sailing was missed.

Since then, we have experienced enormous growth in client sailors and volunteers and acquired a fleet of 28 boats. Wealden is one of the largest Sailability centres in the World and has won a number of awards for its voluntary work.

• 2015 Wealden Sailabitity won the Queen’s Award for Volunteering which is equivalent to a corporate MBE. A very proud moment.
• 2017 the Charity were runners up in the Sevenoaks District Council Charity of the Year.
• 2023 Brian Stanley received the RYA’s Francis Elkin Award. The Award recognises exceptional individuals who have made significant efforts to enable people with disabilities to become involved in sailing. It recognised Brian as the founder of Wealden Sailability in 2008 and making it one of the largest Sailability organisations in the UK. Brian’s commitment and leadership have been the backbone of Wealden Sailability’s success, providing sailing opportunities to people with disabilities and positively impacting their wellbeing.
• 2025 the Charity was the winner of the Kent Award for the Disabilities Charity.