20 August 2026
An incredible North Sails Cowes Week brought brave fundraisers, new friends, and valuable awareness raising
It was a privilege to be the Official Charity for North Sails Cowes Week as it celebrated its 200th year.
It was also a roaring success – people from all over the country came to say hello at our stall before going on to make a generous donation or sign their loved one up for a trip.
We had countless conversations over the week with families or individuals who had not heard of us who then went away, looked us up, and came back for more details.
With our yacht Solent Hero stationed in the thick of the action, people could visit the boat where skipper Becky showed them around. This was an incredible opportunity to showcase all the ways young people can achieve on board, thanks to special adaptations made to the boat to make our trips accessible and inclusive.
Mast climbs and Musto
THANK YOU to everyone who helped us raise an amazing £14,770, which will make a massive difference to young people living through and beyond cancer.
A real highlight of the week was the Mast Climb Challenge, which saw 10 fearless fundraisers face their fears by climbing Solent Hero’s 55ft (16.7m) mast. It was awesome to see Nick Houchin, Musto’s Marketing Director, brave the heights, and our very own Holly West headed on up on a particularly choppy day! Alone, the Mast Climb Challenge raised £7,442 (including Gift Aid) – well worth a few nerves!
The sailing community have always been committed supporters, and it was great to be in amongst them all week. They got on board Solent Hero and they bought our Musto t-shirts, which were hugely popular with sailing crews. We are thankful to Musto for their continued support, which means sailors across the country will be wearing Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust branded gear while out on the water.
Thank you
Simply put, the platform that North Sails Cowes Week 2026 gave us was incredible. The money raised will inspire more young people to believe in their brighter future.
The new connections made will introduce more young people to our magical adventures. And the awareness – from the stall across the week, to people buying our goodies, to the PR opportunities and North Sails Cowes Week sharing our story across their digital channels – is immensely valuable.
Thank you to everyone who came to say hello, donated, looked us up online, signed up for a trip, and to North Sails Cowes Week for having us as the Official Charity for 2026.