A Mylor based charity which gives disabled people a chance to go sailing has been presented with a £1,500 to help buy a new boat and encourage more people to get on board.

Mylor Sailability received the cheque from the Cornwall 100 Club, the business club of the Cornwall Community Foundation, towards a Hawk 20 keelboat which will be specially adapted to provide a support chair for people with disabilities.

Jonathan Cunliffe from Savills and Roger Graffy from Mylor Yacht Harbour, members of the Cornwall 100 Club, visited the project and presented the cheque to Mylor Sailability founder Tracey Boyne.

Mylor Sailability is the only coastal venue in Cornwall that provides sailing and power boating sessions to people with disabilities, and since spring 2014 participation figures have grown from 20 to 50 people per week, with six sessions a week including separate times for the over 50s, but demand is outstripping the charity's funding.

In November 2015 Mylor Sailability won the Sportivate Project of the Year Award and is working with Jonathan Stevenson who is involved with training with the Paralympic Team GB to highlight any gifted and talented students.

The cash will go towards buying a used Hawk 20 boat which can come alongside the Sailability pontoon at any tide as it has a lifting plate for a keel, as they currently do not have a large boat with this capability. It is very versatile and can sail for recreational fun or race competitively

Tracey said: "My original forecast was to get approximately 10 people a week interested in Sailability in the first year. Within two months of the Sailability sessions starting we were getting around 25 per week. We currently get between 50 and 65 people a week on the water and often have to turn people away. The demand is incredible and it is a humbling feeling to be able to provide this active option to our disabled community."

Roger said: "Tracey's project provides a unique opportunity for people with disability to enjoy this fantastic sport. It boosts confidence not only with sport skills but also with making new friends. The C100 is proud to be a part of such a worthwhile project and we look forward to seeing the progress of the sailors."

A second round of funding from the Cornwall Community Foundation, which has over £200,000 into communities in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the last eight tears, will be available later this year. For more information visit www.cornwallfoundation.com