The Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club needs Islanders' help to secure a grant of more than £40,000.

The club is to appear on ITV's The People's Millions in the hope it can encourage enough people to back its bid. Emma Grove reports.

For decades, the Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club has been teaching people to sail dinghies and catamarans.

One of the club's main aims is to encourage youngsters to take up the sport and in recent years the number of children joining has risen.

The key message the club wants to put across is that sailing is not a sport just for people with lots of money.

Anyone can have a go, no matter what their age or ability - one of the club's current members is 86.

You do not have to own a boat as the club, which is based in Marine Parade, Sheerness, has its own equipment to train people.

And it is this "sailing is for everyone" philosophy that has prompted members to apply for the grant of £41,171 which will get their Sailability project off the ground.

With the money, they hope to improve facilities for disabled people by creating better access to the club house, widening the front door, installing ramps and introducing disabled changing facilities.

If their bid is successful, they would also like to upgrade the showers.

The facilities are not just for the club's 134 members - they are open to the rest of the community too.

Tim Bell, honorary life Rear Commodore, said: "These improvements will help us survive - it's a worrying time.

"The facilities are for the whole community which is why we want to invest some money.

"The better the facilities the more groups can use them - the whole Island community would benefit.

"People from off the Island sail with us so it helps the town and will support the local economy too."

Tim Harris, life Rear Commodore House, added they would like to extend their sailing training programme to people of all abilities, but they need the disabled facilities to make this possible.

The club is hosting the Dart 18 National Championships next May, and if it wins the money, it would aim to have the work completed by then.

Jennie Hubble, club secretary, encouraged everyone to pick up the phone and vote.

She said: "People often say the Island is overlooked so this is your chance to get some money to Sheppey that will benefit everyone."

• To show your support for the club, sign up to its Facebook group by searching IOSSC. To find out more about the club, visit the website by clicking here.

• The club was officially established in 1932, although there is evidence it could date back to 1892.
• It was originally called Sheerness Motorboat and Sailing Club and then changed its name to Sheppey Yacht Club.
• In 2003, the club changed its name to the Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club.
• It has been based in Marine Parade, Sheerness, since 1965.

Swale council's portfolio holder for culture, Cllr Bryan Mulhern, said: "The council fully backs the Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club's quest to receive some of the People's Millions to enhance its showers and changing rooms and create disabled facilities so that it can welcome even more visitors.

"We believe the sailing club really deserves it because it provides people from all backgrounds and of all abilities with a tremendous opportunity to explore the water and outdoor life that is available on Sheppey."

The club will feature on ITV's The People's Millions on Monday, November 22.

A short video about it and the project it is competing against will be shown on the Meridian news between 6pm and 6.30pm.

A phone number for people to vote for Sailability will be available on the day in the Daily Mirror, the club's website, the Facebook group and the Times Guardian's website.

Phone lines for votes are open from 9am to midnight on November 22 and votes cost 10p.

Sailability is competing against a school in Snodland's bunker project to restore an air raid shelter into an area for people to work on bikes, go-karts and motorbikes.