Do you ever get that sinking feeling? Finger crossed we won’t.

On 3rd September Team Castaway, a team of 9 sailing virgins, will take to the high seas of the Solent to partake in the race of a lifetime – and we’re doing it all for one of our favourite charities - Disability Snowsport UK (DSUK).

Whether your donation traditionally jingles or folds, every penny counts. The money raised goes towards specialist equipment and essential one-to-one tuition – to make ski holidays affordable whatever your ability. So please be generous as you can – after all, you could help make someone’s dreams come true.

Here’s a great example of where this money helps out:

Jo, who has Cerebral Palsy, and her husband Jeff, who is visually impaired, tried out a sit-ski lesson with the DSUK instructors based at the Tamworth Snowdome a couple of years ago. They were instantly hooked on the thrill and adrenaline of the slopes and the mountain was calling their names. February rolled around and Niederau in Austria was the destination. As a pair at the airport and in the streets they were a perfect complement – Jeff being the power to push Jo’s wheelchair, Jo being the eyes to make sure they didn’t run over any small children. While they were invaluable to each other off the mountain they needed a bit of help on – and this is where DSUK and their instructors came in. Both Jo and Jeff started the week in sit-skis and they were good, whizzing down any slope put in front of them. But as the week progressed, someone asked why Jeff was sitting and not standing – after all it was his eyes and not his legs that were affected. Jeff took that as a challenge – and so did his instructor James. The next morning he was on his feet learning to ski all over again. If you’ve ever skied, you’ll understand it can be tough. Now imagine doing it without really seeing all that much. Jeff started off with a clasp that kept his skis together and tethers (one attached to each ski) to stop him whizzing off uncontrollably - held onto by James the instructor. After a few unsteady lessons with plenty of falls and fun it was the final day – Jeff was going to ski solo. The tethers were off and so was the clasp. Jo had finished her lesson and was waiting for her husband at the bottom of the slopes – the plan for the finale was that Jeff would ski all the way down the nursery slopes unaided except from James being his eyes to call out when to change direction. Jeff knew the route to take. He knew he had to turn when he saw the big bright orange fence and start to slow for the big applause waiting at the bottom. Being visually impaired, sometimes spotting big orange fences doesn’t quite work out, Jeff missed his turn and ended up in three foot of powder for his softest fall of the holiday. Jo saw everything and through the tears of laughter there was just sheer pride.

Without DSUK, those moments and memories – ones that will live on forever with Jo and Jeff - couldn’t have happened.

DSUK work tirelessly to make sure that anyone with a disability, may it be learning, sensory or physical, can ski or snowboard alongside other people - getting to enjoy the experience of the mountains and winter sports that many take for granted.

Wish us luck and please be generous!

Team Castaway

Charlotte, Courtney, Dan, Fern, Gary, Helen, Kelly, Liz, Ludivine and Silvia