We are proud to announce that Canberra Yacht Club is Canberra Southern Cross Club’s Community Key Partner.

The Canberra Southern Cross today announced its Community Key Partner for the next three-year period. The Canberra Yacht Club (CYC) was selected from a group of applicants, all of whom provide exceptional support and opportunity to the Canberra community.

The Canberra Yacht Club was formed in 1959 and has produced many talented sailors over the years including national champions and an Olympic medallist.

The partnership support the Canberra Southern Cross Club will provide is directed towards two key CYC programs – the Sailability and Buoyed Up programs:

• The Sailability program assists people of all-abilities to participate in the sport of sailing. This exceptional program, developed in 2017, provides equipment to assist those with limited mobility to get into and out of boats, modified docking areas that are accessible, training and sailing events for people of all-abilities to compete.
• The Buoyed-Up program is an initiative which assists vulnerable, at-risk children aged 7-12 years to participate in the Tackers Junior Sailing program as a way to build confidence, self-esteem and engage in an active lifestyle. The program provides children from disadvantaged backgrounds with a unique fun-based opportunity that will enhance their general life skills and capabilities. Buoyed Up commenced in 2012 and has already delivered life skill building programs to over 1,000 of Canberra’s young children.

The Community Key Partner Program provides the Canberra Yacht Club with up to $150,000 of cash and in-kind services over the three-year term of the partnership. The inaugural Community Key Partner was Karinya House for mothers and babies from 2018-2020. The Program was suspended during the COVID pandemic.

The Key Partner Program is one of the five parts of the Canberra Southern Cross Clubs annual giving program. In total the Club currently supports over 350 community organisations in the ACT contributing approximately $1.5 million in cash and in-kind services to these groups every year.

“We had a number of very worthy applicants for the program, but the impact that the Canberra Yacht Club has on our community and the excellent outcomes achieved through the Sailability and Buoyed Up programs persuaded us in our decision” said Kim Marshall, Canberra Southern Cross Club Vice President and Chair of Membership and Community Committee, pictured above right.

Commodore of the Canberra Yacht Club Sue Hart (pictured above left) added, ‘’The Canberra Yacht Club appreciates the extension of our already strong partnership with the Canberra Southern Cross Club. This funding will be put to good use to advance sailing in the ACT, carry on our Sailability & Buoyed Up programs, and continue to deliver positive benefits to our local community.’’