Around sixty young people from five schools across Middlesex hit the water last week at the West London Queen Mary inter-school sailing festival. As part of the Bishop Wand Partnership, held at the Queen Mary Sailing Club in Ashford, sailors aged between 9-13 embarked on an evening which included racing, rigging challenges and fishing.

Everyone had been learning to sail through the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) OnBoard scheme, which introduces young people to sailing and windsurfing.

Charlie Hutton, OnBoard Development Officer for Queen Mary, said: ‘It gave the kids the opportunity to test the knowledge built up over the past months.’

In the end, victory went to one of the teams from Ashford Church of England School.

For more information about OnBoard opportunities in your area, visit www.ruob.co.uk