Olympic Hopeful Sets Sail For Lymington Care Home Open Day

A competitive sailor and Rio Olympic hopeful is to be the guest of honour as a Lymington dementia care home celebrates National Care Home Open Day.

Hannah Snellgrove will take time out of her busy events schedule to meet residents, staff and visitors at Colten Care’s newly-opened Linden House.

The 23-year-old, who lives in Lymington, is a member of the British Sailing Team and recently competed in the final medal race for her Laser Radial class at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in the south of France.

This summer she is representing Britain at the European Championships in Croatia.

Hannah, who started on the water at the age of eight at Salterns Sailing Club in Lymington, has agreed a sponsorship deal with Colten Care to help cover her competition costs.

She said: “Elite level sailing can be expensive in terms of kit and it involves lots of travelling. The support from Colten Care will make a huge difference. As a competitor, you want to plan your campaign of events around best performance not just what you can afford. We receive National Lottery funding towards our campaigns from UK Sport, but sponsorship backing is vital as well to allow us to go that extra mile and be the very best we can be, so I’m really grateful for the support.”

Hannah, who has a first-class degree in natural sciences from Cambridge University, is aiming to be selected as a member of Team GB for the next Olympics in Rio in 2016.

As well as competing, she coaches younger sailors aged eight to 16 at Salterns.

Hannah added: “I am really proud to be a Lymington girl. It’s where I grew up, where I learned to sail and where my Olympic dream began.”

The aim of National Care Home Open Day, on Friday 20 June, is to encourage members of the public to visit care homes in their neighbourhoods while strengthening relationships between homes and communities.

Hannah will be the guest of honour at a sailing-themed afternoon party at Linden House to mark the day.

Colten Care Marketing Executive Laura Rolph said: “Hannah is a successful sportswoman who is synonymous with our Lymington heartland and we are thrilled that she is coming to visit us at Linden House. Everyone is looking forward to meeting her.”

Linden House opened in April 2014 and provides dedicated support for people living with dementia and memory loss. The New Street home offers the highest standards of care and the latest therapeutic facilities, all within an elegant, beautifully designed building.

For more information, visit www.LindenHouseCare.co.uk.