Member Article

International Paint Helping People with Disabilities Experience the Joy of Sailing

A group of volunteers from International Paint, Gateshead’s largest private-sector employer, are starting a project today to restore a boat that will help people with disabilities experience the joy of sailing.

Project “Perfection” will see 24 volunteers from the company’s Yacht Paint business restoring a catamaran on behalf of The Calvert Trust (http://www.calvert-trust.org.uk). The trust enables people with disabilities to achieve their potential through the challenge of outdoor adventure. The catamaran has been modified to enable people with disabilities, including those in wheelchairs, to get on the water.

The project will take place over 10 days at International Paint’s Felling site. Following the restoration, the boat will be handed back to The Calvert Trust in early September.

It follows the success of the “Be Prepared” project last year, when International Paint volunteers restored a boat for the West Lancashire Scouts Water Activity Centre.

You can follow the progress of the project via our daily blog at http://www.yachtpaint.com/gbr/diy/media-centre/r-a-b-blog.aspx; follow the story in pictures and join the debate on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/InternationalYachtPaint

International Paint is the world leader in coatings used in ship and yacht building, maintenance, and repair—International coatings feature on many famous vessels including the Queen Mary 2 cruise liner. It is also the world’s biggest producer of protective coatings for major structures—its products are used on a number of iconic landmarks, including the Sage Gateshead and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.

International Paint’s parent company AkzoNobel has invested €10-million in new R&D facilities at Felling in 2011 which have added around 40 highly paying research jobs and safeguarded a further 46.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Gemma Sedlacek .