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This page was updated on: Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Venturers and Oasis Academy - Helping out local schools

Oasis Academy Lord' Hill a secondary school academy based in Lordshill, Southampton recently ran a model boat building competition for some of the local junior schools.

Junior School children grouped into teams, built their boats from kits provided by the Academy and then all the boats were raced across the Oaklands Swimming Pool at Lordshill.

The winning teams from Sinclair Primary School and Shirley Warren Primary School were offered at trip on the Venturers Search and Rescue boat as a prize with the Venturers being able at the same time to talk to the children about safety on real boats and at the seaside.

Winning youngsters and their parent/carer undertook this trip on Thursday 8th July.

arriving at Lepe Beach at the 'League of Venturers Search and Rescue' operation centre at about 4 p.m. the children were shown around the control room and other facilities.

We then went from Lepe to Hythe Marina Village where the young people and adults could board the boat in safety.

Everyone was kitted out in life jackets and a discussion was held on sea safety before the children were split in to two groups - each group went for a ride up Southampton Water, picking up a bit of speed and doing a few turns etc., they then came back to the marina village where they experienced taking the boat through the lock gates from Southampton Water into the Marina Village.

A little trip around the village in the boat and back through the lock gates.

Much fun was had by all and it was a most beautiful evening. Sunshine and a slight cooling breeze on the water - most of the youngsters wanted to go again immediately.

All participants were awarded Oasis Junior T shirts to mark their efforts and participation.

Senior Coxswain Matthew Dann of the Venturers commented "we are only to pleased to be able to assist Oasis Academy with this competition, the children worked hard and well as a team to build thier small craft for the race, all of the children seemed to thoroughly enjoy them selves and were fantastically behaved.

They are a real credit to both parents and respective schools"