Polly's Fund was set up to offer a special opportunity to Isle of Wight children to apply for a five-day sailing or watersports course during their summer holidays for just £20, enabling them to have fun, be adventurous and learn new skills through participation in outdoor activities.

Since the launch of the programme in the summer of 2018, 140 Isle of Wight children have taken part in Polly's Challenge and have had a summer of adventure learning at UKSA. In 2019 Polly's Fund was lucky enough to receive joint funding from BBC Children In Need to broaden its reach to more disadvantaged young people. For many, it sparked in them a passion for sailing and watersports.

Due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19 in 2020 UKSA was, unfortunately, unable to run a spring or summer programme. However, this didn't stop Polly's wonderful friends and family who raised an astounding £35,000 for her fund through a virtual Pollys Day www.pollysday.com to offer on-water adventures to deserving Island children at a time when they need us most. Polly's family decided to utilise the funds raised to offer local children, who missed out on free watersports sessions in the spring/summer of 2020 as part of a school trip, the opportunity to participate in a Test the Water sailing taster session during Autumn 2020. The generosity of the fund has enabled 64 year 7 students who have missed out to get afloat and 333 year 6 students in spring 2021 to Test the Water as part of a school visit.

Looking to the future and 2021 Pollys Fund is committed to continue supporting Isle of Wight young children, to give them the opportunity to have an adventure just as Polly wished. All money raised helps to make this dream a reality and give young people who have had their normality and freedom altered a chance to unleash a passion for adventure and the sea with their friends.

Thank you for visiting this page and thank you for any help you have been able to offer for this project. If you are able to make a contribution we would like the opportunity to email an end of summer round-up of how your donation has supported the children; to receive this update please leave your email address on the donation screen or contact us separately at fundraising@uksa.org