Stichting Sailing Kids Foundation (SK) – a Netherlands based charity that organises sailing holidays for seriously ill children and their families – will receive the DAME (Design Award METS) donation for 2011. The charity was selected by the METS Committee out of seven applications it received after issuing a call for entries.
SK arranges free of charge six-day trips aboard either a rented vintage schooner or clipper on the Ijsselmeer and Waddenzee and, in addition to offering optional on-board activities and full catering, provides a fully qualified volunteer medical team to care for the seriously or chronically ill children on board. Some 1200 people have benefited from SK trips to date.
The charity, which is entirely funded by sponsorships and donations, also organises trips for chronically ill youngsters in the 18-25 year age group. These young adults feel too old to holiday with their parents but are too young for most holidays organised with sick people in mind.
The DAME donation, which is formed of the sum total of the product registration fees collected for the much coveted DAME prize for innovative designed leisure marine equipment and accessories, will be used to fund or part-fund sailing trips for both children/families and young adults.
A truly worthy cause
“We are delighted to have found such a worthy cause for this year’s DAME donation,” said METS senior product manager, Irene Dros. “Sailing Kids gives sick children and young adults a unique opportunity to enjoy a sailing experience either with an appropriate peer group or with their families alongside. Everyone can relax in the knowledge that all is organised and that qualified carers are to hand. These are unique holidays that make for precious memories.”
To date, the DAME prize has raised approximately EUR18,000 for good causes each year. Four charities have benefited so far: De Batavia Yard in the Netherlands for building a replica ship; IFDS, the international association for disabled sailing in the United Kingdom; AMREF flying doctors, Africa; and the Whisper Boat Building Academy in South Africa, the only boat building school for people with disabilities.
Call for entries
Exhibitors wishing to submit products for the DAME 2011 are invited to complete the online application on metstrade.com, which is live from 24th July – 20th September 2011. All products entered for the competition must be displayed at METS or the SuperYacht Pavilion (SYP) in 2011 and comply with the standard terms and conditions of participation.
METS/SYP 2011 will be held on 15-16-17 November 2011 in the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre, the Netherlands.
METS incorporating SuperYacht Pavilion
METS, the world’s largest trade exhibition of equipment, materials and systems for the international marine leisure industry, is organised by Amsterdam RAI in association with the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA). The show’s target groups are yacht builders, naval architects, repair yards, distributors, dealers, wholesalers, captains, marina operators and equipment manufacturers from around the world. The SuperYacht Pavilion is the central platform for the worldwide super yacht industry and a ‘show within a show’ at METS.
