Members of Falmouth’s newest Gig rowing Club, EPIC GIGability, have celebrated their first year of success with a special brunch at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club.

EPIC GIGability was formed by Armed Forces veterans keen to combine sport, social activities, and mutual support. It already has around 40 active members, and a team of eight competed in this month’s World Pilot Gig Championships on Scilly.

The club’s ethos is based in ‘Blue Water Therapy,’ a proven means of helping veterans with difficulties relating to the past or with life-changing events, and in dealing with the very different life outside the Forces.

Trustee Chris Bosanko-Green has a unique background in all three services and now lectures in boatbuilding at Falmouth Marine School. He supervised a team of students who built the Club’s gig “EPIC ENERGY. ” He said the idea of the Club was first discussed four or five years ago, but since the launch of “EPIC ENERGY” in September, the training and social side has gone from strength-to-strength. “We’ve really grown through word-of-mouth - and we’re still open for any military veterans to join as new members.”

Chris says the club has enjoyed strong support from the services and local communities. “We were only able to compete in Scilly because the Royal Marines kindly took our gig over on their landing craft. If they hadn’t helped us, we’d have been without the gig for months, which would have removed the benefits of rowing from our other members; this is something we were keen to avoid.”

The club has benefited from a Veterans’ Foundation Grant, as well as help from Falmouth Town Council and very kind donations from elsewhere. Trustee and committee meetings are now being held at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club.

The RCYC Commodore, Sarah Hancock said both organisations are hoping to work more closely together in the future. “We were delighted to welcome the men and women from EPIC GIGability for their celebration brunch. We have a long connection with the Royal Navy, and many of our members are also former forces personnel. We’re also keen to develop partnerships which promote access to the water for the local community. So we’re pleased to be able to support this important work.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about Epic Gigability can email info@epicgigability.co.uk