06 July 2009
6th July 09
While the Round Britain voyage has been going since May on the 29th July the first first two summer trips in the Solent waters got underway. 40 Young People have sailed with the trust in the Solent already and another 65 will join us over the next three weeks
The trips take young people in recovery from cancer and leukaemia sailing for four days; these trips follow the Trusts’ involvement in the JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race. he sailing trips are designed to provide a unique experience for the young people that join them. Each child is encouraged to work as part of a team and become involved on every level of the trip, from helping to sail the yachts, through to the cooking and cleaning for their fellow crew on board. Each voyage is lead by experienced, professional sailors who are used to working with children. The charity now takes four times the number of young people sailing that it did in 2005, and this year The Trust is working with three new hospitals in Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds.
The first day and evening is spent at UKSA in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, which is The Trust’s operational base throughout July. The children are introduced to their new home for the next few days and take part in some teambuilding exercises to get to know each other and prepare for the trip ahead.
Day two and The Trust boats set off from Cowes, heading out into the Solent for a days sailing, eventually mooring up in Yarmouth Harbour and sleeping onboard the boats that evening. The Trust’s Patron Ellen MacArthur joined the children on day three, as they embarked on a tour of the local lifeboat and some sight seeing in Yarmouth. The day was rounded off with a short sail towards Newtown Creek (on the north west coast of the Island), a nature reserve and beach that soon became the temporary home for an EMT barbeque. The crews spent a final night on board their boat before returning to UKSA the following morning for a wrap up, tidy up and a chance to say goodbye.
Dan Monk, now 21 years old from Basildon in Essex is one whose life has been completely changed around by charity. He was one of the first young people The Trust ever took sailing and has been back every year since. The experience so changed his life, that it was one of his main motivators for fighting his cancer . This summer, he joins the charity as one of the Skippers