Sailing Trust Report for 2010
1 Established as a not-for-profit company in March 2007 and granted charitable status in September 2008, the Sea-Change Sailing Trust provides action-centred learning and seamanship training for young people and vulnerable adults. As a Royal Yachting Association Teaching Establishment, it offers a variety of routes to the accreditation of learning. This report covers work delivered in 2010. Sea-Change became a RYA Sailability Foundation Organisation during the year in recognition of the work it does with disabled people, mainly those with learning difficulties. Such recognition is relatively established for RYArecognised clubs but unusual for sail-training organisations. An application to join the Association of Sail Training Organisations has been submitted now that Sea-Change has achieved the necessary two years of operation as a charity and awaits consideration.
2 Charter Report. The Trust undertook fifteen charters totalling 56 days, a substantial increase from 2009. The Wyvenhoe was in refit for much of the season and the Reminder was used for the first time. She was built by the Mistley Shipbuilding Company in 1929, a year before the Blue Mermaid which the Trust intends to replicate when funds permit; she now works for Topsail Charters and Sea-Change work fits around her other (mainly weekend) customers. It was good to sail again with the Pre-Foundation Course from Clacton College, and this year they persuaded the Work Preparation Course from the Colchester Campus to join them. Writing afterwards, Course Leader Kate Hart wrote: I have run many residential in my time as a tutor, but never in such a small amount of time have I seen such a huge improvement to students selfconfidence and teamwork skills the very skills that are key to ensuring our learners become fully functional, employable members of society. The Behaviour Support Unit of Mark Hall School in Harlow joined us for two days in May. One day was hot and calm, with time to row to the beach and paddle, and the other was windy and exciting. The Unit Manager, Jo Rogers, wrote: The long term benefits soon became evident. The year 10 pupils who took part had bonded as a group and were more engaged The year 9 pupils had even more success, and all returned to full-time mainstream education where they have remained. Total concentration from Jessica with passing shipping in Northfleet Hope. Instructor Rob Bassi studies the next reach. Two ten day seamanship courses were provided through the National Sea Training Centre, one for Public Services students completing their BTec Unit in Nautical Studies and one for Sea Cadets. The saloon of the barge lent itself well to being a floating classroom while practical work on deck complemented the theory sessions.
3 Carl offers some tips on pilotage while Ben steers for the next buoy. Young people who sailed with Sea-Change in 2009 formed themselves into the Youth Sailing Scheme to run three youth leadership programmes. They applied to the Youth Opportunities Fund for support and were successful in receiving a grant at a time of increased financial stringency. The voyages were very successful and they plan three more in 2011, each bringing new people into the scheme and offering leadership opportunities to established members.
4 In September a group from the Childrens Support Service Centres at Colchester and Clacton undertook three days away. On arrival the students immediately got stuck into the hard work of warping the barge from the quay to an outside berth and mooring others before sailing away. Stephen Woods, group leader, wrote: Staff at both centres noticed an improvement in their relationships with the pupils that went on the trip after they returned. The students also seemed to display a better understanding of fairness and empathy in situations where others wanted to be selfish. The students that went on the trip had developed a better relationship with each other too. Staff also thought that the students showed a more positive attitude in their lessons and that their confidence had improved. Teams from Sea-Change won two barge matches, the Passage Match with the Engineering Council Group and the Thames Match with the Port of London Authority. The Thames Match was amongst the closest ever with five barges finishing within seconds. Reminder went on to win the Championship for the season. Owner Paul Jefferies called it a real team effort. There were others: Wimbledon Scouts, kindly supported by the Kelsey Trust, rekindled their enjoyment of barging after a break of several years although it rained! A group of RYA Yachtmaster Instructors spent a day with us as part of the RYA s initiative to offer experience on larger vessels. Several groups of supporters also booked.
5 Low Carbon! For the second year, Sea-change has offset the carbon emissions from the auxiliary engine through the kind support of Mark Robinson of The Yacht Carbon Offset Company. The New Barge Appeal. There has been progress with the appeal for funds to build a new barge for the charity. The Appeal Patrons met in November to review progress. Pledges stood at 102,000 including support from Trinity House which is viewed as a beacon award. This represents 20% of the target. There is a great deal more work to do but the appeal is a third of the way to being able to start building the hull. Work continues to identify possible customers for cargo. Through the good offices of Laura Chellis at the Climate Innovation Centre at the University of EastAnglia, four MBA students have reviewed the market and assessed companies with an interest in low-carbon transport. Associated work has been done at Essex University to compare the real costs of road and water. In 2011 it is planned to undertake a small pilot cargo voyage for demonstration purposes. In August, Richard Cole redeemed his successful bid of 1000 in favour of the charity and raced aboard the Mariquita at the Westward Cup at Cowes. Also, Richard offered to provide legal services pro bono to the New Barge Project. An original picture by Geoff Hunt, Past President of the Royal Society of Marine Artists,for the cover of the appeal document.
6 Francis Kent David Wallder Grant Everiss Don Ramsay Ray Kay Sea-Change People We are delighted Don Ramsay has become Development Officer, helping with fund-raising, keeping website, Facebook and Twitter up to date and a whole lot more. The new website is courtesy of Richard Wynne and is excellent. Trustees met in December and June and will meet in future at the beginning and end of the sailing season. Thanks to Rob Bassi for putting together the Nautical Studies Module, and Peter Maynard for keeping us on the financial straight and narrow. Apart from Richard and Hilary, Sea-Change benefitted from crewing by Grant Everiss, Francis Kent, David Wallder and Ray Kay. Anna Chapman, Natalie Johnson and Jeffery Billings have managed the Youth Sailing Scheme. Paddy Bellis of Buzz Training helped us with accreditation in the Youth Sailing Scheme. Rob Bassi Paddy Bellis Hilary and Anna Jeffery Natalie Richard
7 Fundraising The charity is immensely grateful to the Appeal Patrons who give their time and support to the appeal. The maritime sector is very well-represented and the results are starting to show, but we feel we need to find someone who comes from the fields of youth work, education or residential care. If you know of anyone please get in touch. Although charter fees are charged wherever possible and everyone who sails with us is encouraged to raise whatever they can towards costs, we are very grateful for the assistance of a large number of individuals and grant-giving bodies without whom we could not do our work. Thank you. Future Plans Funding has been secured, through the generosity of the Whirlwind Trust, to develop a mentoring service to help young people prepare for their time with the project, devise action plans and support them afterwards. This is a key element in the vision that support is based on individual need and does not stop when the ship ties up. In 2011 we will continue to offer short residential programmes to groups with their staff as before. We intend to develop the innovative Youth Leadership Programme, run by local young people taking responsibility for crewing up and running their own voyages, by extending it to people from other areas. There will also be an extended four-week Sea-Change Seamanship Programme in the summer, the first for some while. Applications are sought for four places from young people who have an interest in traditional seamanship, are moving towards independent living and seek adventure afloat. Contact Details Address: 11 Butt Lane Maldon Essex CM9 5HD Telephone: 01621 857840 or 07895 063838 Email: Website: Richard@seachangesailingtrust.org.uk www.seachangesailingtrust.org.uk Also on Facebook and Twitter.
RYA Yachtmaster Instructors Wimbledon Scouts and tea urn Colchester Institute Mark Hall School BASE Colchester Institute Sea Cadets Sea Cadets Pilots at the Blacktail Spit Pilots Children s Support Service Public Services Sea-Change Youth Sailing Scheme Work-Prep Great Glen Shipping