Trustees
TRUSTEES
DAVE COOKE
David joined the Woolverstone Sailability Project as a trustee in November 2024 and currently serves as Chair of the Board. With a background in chemistry (MSc, Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry), he brings analytical rigour, strategic oversight, and a strong commitment to community service to the organization.
As Chair, David works alongside fellow trustees, volunteers, and operational staff to ensure the Woolverstone Project fulfills its mission: providing accessible sailing and powerboating experiences for people with disabilities across Suffolk and the surrounding region.
CHAIR OF TRUSTEES
David Andrew Cooke serves as the Chair of the Woolverstone Project, bringing a deep passion for accessible sailing and community involvement to the organization. With a strong commitment to empowering individuals with disabilities, David leads the charitys mission to provide safe, enjoyable, and inclusive sailing opportunities at Alton Water and along the River Orwell.
Under his leadership, the Woolverstone Project continues to expand its reachsupporting sailors of all experience levels, guiding dedicated volunteers, and fostering partnerships as an accredited RYA Training Centre and RYA Sailability organization. David is dedicated to ensuring that the project remains a welcoming environment where enthusiasm, community spirit, and freedom on the water can thrive.
PETER HIBBERD
I have sailed for about 30 years starting in a vintage National 12 in and out of the harbour at Southwold as a displacement recreation from running my small village bakery nearby. In 2000 my wife and I moved to Ipswich where I joined the County youth service and became involved with a youth club at The Thomas Wolsey School for children with physical disabilities. This led to an introduction to the Woolverstone Project where I found my niche enabling and facilitating people with disabilities to sail. The Project's trustees encouraged me to become first a dinghy instructor and later a senior instructor. After a couple of years I became the site manager overseeing the two dimensions of the Project at Alton Water and the River Orwell. I am now a Trustee of the Project.
Whenever we get the chance, Steph and I take our Corribee for a sail. That is still my displacement recreation.
SALLY MOORE
I started volunteering with the Woolverstone Project in 2022 after retiring from working as a Clinical Psychologist and Executive Coach. I always felt privileged to work with people and try to make their lives a little better.
My family have lived in Holbrook for many years, and I have sailed (very on and off) since I was a teenager. I returned to Holbrook after spending 20 years living away, ten of them in Australia. I very much favour fair weather sailing, and, for me, it is hard to beat messing about on water on a beautiful day.
The Woolverstone Project is ideal for me because I get to combine being on the water with chatting to people and putting smiles on faces. It is so rewarding to see the freedom, independence and fun that sailing can give people. I want to see that happen even more in my time as a trustee.
BRAM VAN DER HAVE
My formal education was a BSc Hons in agriculture and my main work was in the line of business management in an international agricultural plant breeding and seeds business. I have sailed for over 50 years initially dinghies in the Netherlands and now a cruiser named Athena on the East Coast and further afield.
I have been a member of the RHYC since 1999 and served on its General Committee and 5 years as Club Treasurer. In my present position as Club President I represent the RHYC, which is one of the founders of the Woolverstone Project, on the board of Trustees of the Project.
DOROTHY STEEDS
My initial introduction to the Woolverstone Project was when my son and I dropped by one evening to see what it had to offer. Ten minutes later he was out on the water and he's been a sailor there ever since. That was about fifteen years ago and, over the years, we've spent many happy hours at Alton Water.
Although I'm not a sailor, yet, I can clearly see the benefits and enjoyment that sailing provides to so many people. Last year I became a Monday morning volunteer, subsequently being invited to become a trustee. My background is teaching, both primary and adult education, and for many years I was a Governor at Thomas Wolsey Special School in Ipswich. I bring my experience in the sphere of disability to the project.
ANGELA COLCLOUGH
I have been sailing since childhood, initially principally racing in dinghies, moving on to our small yacht moored in the Menai Straits and racing in the Irish Sea, then teaching our children to dinghy sail. Latterly I have returned to yachts and heritage sailing vessels as crew racing and cruising around the British Isles, Scandinavia and from Boston USA to Isle of Wight. I have also dabbled in most above and below water sports including scuba, swimming, rowing, windsurfing and paddling boarding. My father was a keen rower, and I took this up after a career in medicine, racing competitively and then as a cox and qualified rowing coach. I first spotted the Woolverstone Project at Alton Water while coaching junior rowing. So being up for anything to do with water I was keen to become involved. I hope that I will bring a broad experience of sailing and a keen interest in coaching for enjoyment to our sailors. I am also interested in caring for our carers and involving local sailing clubs in supporting and developing the Project.
SIMON HEWITT
I am a lifelong sailor, having spent a lot of time messing about in boats on the East Coast when I was young. We moved from London to Suffolk in 1998 so we could spend more time sailing and I am now retired from a busy career as an environmental consultant.
We have a cruising boat that we keep on a mooring on the River Orwell and until recently I raced a Laser dinghy (badly!). I love to get out on the water whenever I can and have sailed in some amazing locations all over the world including the Arctic Circle, the Indian Ocean, the South Pacific and the South China Sea although nothing beats the Suffolk coast!
I was Commodore of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club in 2020, 2021 and 2022, and am also a Trustee of the Club.
I am acutely aware of how sailing and boating can give an amazing sense of freedom and opens new horizons, and I am keen to do whatever I can to help others enjoy the water as I have done.
Last updated 15:25 on 6 September 2026
