The Ellen MacArthur Trust raises just over £90,000 in its first year as the official Charity to Ska

18th August 06

Skandia Cowes Week’s official charity The Ellen MacArthur Trust is delighted to have raised a total of just over £90,000 at the end of seven days of racing, events and aching feet.  This will go towards The Trusts work helping young people on their way to recovery from cancer and leukaemia regain their confidence, by introducing them to sailing at sea.

The week has seen the sold out inaugural Ellen MacArthur Trust Ball raise over £50,000 with title sponsor Skandia’s official Cowes Week Ball contributing a further £31,000. A donation from Isle of Wight charity The Caring Cancer Trust for £5,000, along with around £4000 collected by the volunteers manning The Trust stand and gathered throughout the town, brings the week’s total to just over £90,000.
Frank Fletcher who runs The Trust said “Everyone involved in The Ellen MacArthur Trust has put in a magnificent effort this week to help us raise just over £90,000.  We have been overwhelmed not only by the amount of money raised, but also by the interest and support for The Trust from people who weren’t aware of us before this week. 

Although we haven’t raced every day the youngsters who have come down have had a great experience and more importantly a lot of fun. £90,000 will allow us to take many more young people sailing in the future.  Hopefully the increased awareness of what The Trust is about will help us go on to reach £100,000 next year.”

Skandia Cowes Week has seen 10 youngsters from Northern Ireland and Essex racing and crewing on the yacht Scarlet Oyster for The Ellen MacArthur Trust.  On the official charity day of Monday 31st July, The Trust urged everyone to ‘Turn Skandia Cowes Week Blue’ and also invited six competition winners to sail with the Olympic sailors of Skandia Team GBR in the ‘Stars of Sailing’ race.  Charity day was rounded up in style with the inaugural Ellen MacArthur Trust Ball.  All week volunteers have been tirelessly selling raffle tickets and wristbands from The Trust’s stand, and donations to the UKSA and Skandia’s ‘Try Sailing’ through the week also went to the charity. 

The Ellen MacArthur Trust would like to thank everyone at Skandia, the team at Cowes Combined Clubs, Timberland, Volkswagen, Champagne Mumm and Cowes Yacht Haven for their help and support this week.

The Ellen MacArthur Trust is already taking advanced table bookings for their 2007 Skandia Cowes Week Ball and you can contact [email protected] for more information or reservations.