27 March 2015
27th March 15
Wow, what a way to kick off 2015 with three fantastic weeks of Gradute Volunteer Training in the Solent! 14 of our Graduate Volunteers have completed their RYA Competent Crew course as well as learnt what it takes to become a volunteer on our trips. They will all go on to volunteer on trips over the summer, being incredible role models for our young people on the trips.
On week two we welcomed Sarah along to her training week. Sarah first sailed with the Trust in 2013. She was diagnosed with an osteosarcoma in 2012, which resulted in an above knee amputation. Sarah is our first ever Graduate Volunteer with an above knee amputaion, but it by no means held her back on her training week! Here's Sarah's account of her week with us...
Pre Trip-
"Although I had been on a couple of trips with the trust before I was still a bit apprehensive about the week ahead. I am a right leg amputee, so managing to move around the boat and take part in
sailing the boat was all a bit daunting. However I was still excited to get going and to find out if I was capable of being a volunteer.
Day 1-
Me and my friends Keith (another volunteer on the trip) travelled down on Sunday night so that we arrived in time for the training to start the next day. After traveling for 10 hours we finally
arrived and met our fellow volunteer Sam. We then had a meal at the pub at the marina and spent our first night on the boat.
Day 2-
On the morning of day 1 we met Mark our skipper, Jamie a trainee skipper and another fellow volunteer Ewa. We had a free morning before having a lesson on how to be a good volunteer with Dan, where
we spoke about why we wanted to become a volunteer for the Trust and what makes a good volunteer. We then loaded up the boat with food and spent our 2nd night in East Cowes.
Day 3-
On Tuesday morning Mark made us all a bacon sandwich and after, we all helped to wash up. Before setting sail Mark spent the morning explaining what everything on the boat did and how it worked as
well as the health and safety precautions. Around lunch time we set sail with Mark helping and showing us what to do. We sailed to Hamble and later that afternoon, when we arrived we went on
the dinghy in pairs, taking it in turns to row. To me this was a massive achievement as I never thought I would be able to do it especially after my amputation! Mark then showed us around the boat
yard to explain all the different types on sailing boats.
Day 4-
By now we were starting to get the hang of it and we had breakfast, put our oilies on and prepared the boat to set sail to Lymington. On the way we all had a go at standing at the Helm, tacking and
jibing. We even got to take part in a man overboard procedure using a bucket and a fender; not one of us of course! We arrived in Lymington and we all helped to tie the boat up to the dock. That
evening we made a curry and played Uno and Articulate.
Day 5-
On Thursday morning Arnie who owns Lymington Yacht Charters let us go on board his new boat which he recently bought from Chris Evans. It was like stepping on board a 5* hotel! This was our last full
day of sailing so by now we knew how to prep the boat with only a little prompting. We sailed all morning however in the afternoon we had a nap and read some of the SOPs. We then sailed back to East
Cowes in the afternoon.
Post trip-
After the trip we all had a meeting with Mark and Frank individually to discuss how we felt the week had gone and they told me I had passed my Competent Crew and to my delight were happy to take me
on as a volunteer! I was over the moon and I'm now really looking forward to volunteering this summer up in Largs as the Trust's first amputee volunteer!!"
All 14 of our Gradute volunteers have been outstanding and we can't wait to have them all back along for a summer of sailing, sun, fun, water fights, crabbing, games and endless laughter!