Jul 25Volunteering with The Ellen MacArthur Trust

• By Laura in News,
• tagged charity and Ellen MacArthur Trust

I recently had the privilege of sailing with Young people from London and Northern Ireland. I spent the week as a volunteer/1st Mate sailing with The Ellen MacArthur Trust on their biggest sailing trip to date! 5 boats and 21 young people sailing in and around the Solent for 4 days.

I found the sailing trips really are a unique experience for the young people that joined us. We encouraged every child on our Yacht Scarlet Oyster to work as part of a team and become involved on every level of the trip; helping to sail the yacht, the cooking and cleaning, catching mackerel for our BBQ, water fights, a rib ride to the needles, fish and chips, ice cream and football, anchoring in a creek for the night and beach fires!

One of Scarlet Oyster’s crew, John Mckiernrn, 13 years old, from Belfast told me;

“The trip has been fantastic I have learnt how to sail, fish and cook all in 4 days. The skippers really make you feel at home it is so nice to get away other problems that I have had and meet other kids who have been in the same situation”

Ellen endeavours to join each trust trip, but this Trip was slightly different as Ellen joined the whole trip as a mate. After the trip she said;

“It’s great to see the change in confidence of the young people over the four days, this is all down to the volunteers and other skippers. If the young people wish to share their stories they can blow you away with their matter of fact way of speaking about their illness. They really are incredibly brave. You cannot help but be inspired by them.”

I am looking forward to volunteering for another trip next year…so watch this space!

To learn more about the Trust, or to make a donation please visit http://ellenmacarthurtrust.org
It costs £500 to take a Young Person sailing for 4 days.