Coronation Street actress Vicky Entwistle who plays the character Janice Battersby in the soap officially launched a new project from charity Local Solutions at Merseysport on Liverpool’s Queens Dock today.

The new project, ‘Girls Afloat ’ has been initiated to encourage girls’ aged 12-16 years old to participate in watersports and will offer a range of activities i.e. canoeing, sailing, kayaking and nautical training. The aim of the project is to provide a different and exciting outlook to sport and encourage more girls to consider careers in the Marine Industry.

Vicky was delighted to be asked to give her support to an opportunity that was encouraging young girls from the local community into an interesting and significant activity.  During the launch Vicky was taken out on the water with a group of the girls from the project to try sailing and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Vicky said, ‘This was a wonderful opportunity to come to Liverpool and to give support to such a worthwhile enterprise’.

Pat Devlin, Assistant Chief Executive from the charity said, “Local Solutions are delighted to offer support to this innovative approach to encouraging girls into this exciting area.  This builds up on tradition of the regions’ maritime heritage and education.”

‘Girls Afloat’ has been made possible by collaboration between Local Solutions, Hoylake Sailing School and Merseysport with generous funding from Sport England. For more information on ‘Girls Afloat’, please contact Sean Chapman on 0151 705 2349 or Emma Hendrick on 0151 705 2345.  

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N.B. All training courses lead to nationally recognised qualifications and training will be free of charge to participants from Liverpool 7 and Liverpool 8.