A CHARITY racing yacht crew including young West Somerset farmer Nathan Hewitt has been on the waters of The Solent during the past few days practising for next month’s Cowes Week.

Training crew for a competitive racing event such as Cowes Week is never easy – but even more so when many have not sailed before and almost everybody on board has a life-changing injury, including Mr Hewitt, from Watchet.

The crew of the 32 foot Sun Fast 3200 Stride Forward are being led by helmsman and Olympian Stuart Childerley, who has only just returned to the water after being seriously injured in a road bike accident in 2021.

National charity Stride Forward, which helps life after injury, offers mentoring programmes and support for people who have suffered serious physical trauma leading to disability.

It has entered Cowes Week to raise awareness of its mission, which is to ‘give the gift of the ordinary’ to those who have undergone life-changing injuries.

Stride Forward’s founder, Holly King, who will be on board for some of the races, said the support the charity had received from the marine industry had been ‘outstanding’.

Ms King said a host of firms had given ‘incredible support and encouragement to take part in Cowes Week and helped us to raise awareness of supporting those with life-changing injuries’.

She said: “In the early days after injury, there is a clear roadmap of medical care, rehabilitation, and legal support.

“But what happens when that structured support ends?

“People are then left facing emotional and practical challenges of life after serious injury with little or no help.

“This is where Stride Forward steps in.

“Through a structured one to one mentoring programme, alongside specialist career advice and financial literacy sessions, Stride Forward offers a compassionate bridge between the clinical world and everyday life.”