'Sailing can help neurodivergent people like me'

A neurodivergent man who "terribly struggled" at school has launched a new charity to help others like him by taking them on outdoor sailing trips.

Matt Tozer, from Derby, said he did not get the right support at school because his ADHD and autism was not diagnosed until adulthood, which left him feeling isolated from his peers.

However, the 29-year-old said the opportunity to go sailing as a child gave him a "sense of freedom".

Tozer said The Neurodivergence Project will aim to offer residential sailing trips to help people tackle social isolation and gain a sense of independence.

He said he hoped to help people whose brains function in a way that differs from what is considered typical, for example a person with autism or brain injuries.

Tozer said his love for sailing began aged 12, when he had the opportunity to go on a sailing trip through the children's cancer charity Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust after being diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer, tanycytic ependymoma, the previous year.

"That first trip was something very special for me," he said.

"I didn't have a lot of supportive places...and sailing offered me something which I'd never felt before.

"It was a sensory element, at the time I didn't know I was neurodivergent but I loved the sound of the water, the flow of the water, the motion of the boat."

"And I was with a community of people who understood each other, and maybe because it was slightly confined [on the boat], I quickly made a lot of friends."

Tozer said without the sailing experiences, growing up would have been far more difficult and lonely so he wanted to give other neurodivergent people the opportunity to go on sailing trips.

"What we often find by talking to our community is that people often struggle with social isolation," he said.

"I want to use the power of the ocean and the natural world to empower neurodivergent people to build self-confidence, develop those friendships, and achieve their goals in life."

He said the charity would do this by chartering sailing yachts to take neurodivergent participants aged 12 to 17 and, separately, adults on residential trips lasting a few days.

They would be supported by a qualified skipper and mate, along with a charity volunteer.

He said the charity would run a few trial trips in The Solent, in the south of England, this year, dependent on funding, with regular trips starting in 2027 or 2028.

"Overall it's just about trying to help with their wellbeing, with their anxiety, so they have the confidence they need to go out into life," he said."

Tozer said the project had already on-boarded nearly 50 volunteers, with a sailing waiting list of 30 people.

It is also due to take part in an open day at Carsington Sailing Club, at Carsington Water, on 30 May, to provide a smaller-scale opportunity for neurodivergent people to give sailing a go.

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