A number of the Help for Heroes gig crew attended a handover event recently receiving a bespoke, new ‘plastic gig’ from Composite Integration Ltd and Fusion Pilot Gigs.

A first for the Help for Heroes crew, the new GRP (glass-reinforced plastic) gig allows the wounded, injured and sick personnel and veterans to enhance their gig training, relieving the pressures on the wooden gig previously gifted to them by National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

Richard Bland, Director of Composite Integration Ltd, a partner in Fusion Pilot Gigs and rower for Caradon Pilot Gig Club says: ’Help for Heroes is a charity we simply had to get involved with. Having rowed with Help for Heroes at Caradon Gig Club in Saltash and seen how competitive their members were, we wanted to contribute and make a real difference to their core goals. This was a great opportunity to help the gig team and it’s been a real pleasure working with the Help for Heroes teams designing, delivering and gifting this new gig.’

The main aim of Fusion Pilot Gigs, established in 2013, is to manufacture the highest quality GRP Cornish Pilot Gigs. These aren’t replacing the heritage of the wooden gigs used for racing but are simply used for training, offering a more affordable option for clubs to open up access to all gig club members, encouraging more to take up the sport.