The Ellen MacArthur Trust voyage of discovery

This summer the Ellen MacArthur Trust and Skandia will help scores of children with serious illnesses realise their dreams in a very special round Britain voyage of discovery.

Dame Ellen MacArthur is one of the most recognisable faces in the sailing world. She became a true global sailing star in 2005 when she set the world record for a single-handed, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe. Like many leading sports figures, Dame Ellen dedicates much of her time to helping those less fortunate than she is through her own charitable organisation, the Ellen MacArthur Trust. Set up in 2003, the Trust takes young people aged between eight and 18 sailing, to help them regain their confidence on their way to recovery from cancer and leukaemia.

Skandia has for many years had associations through sponsorship with the sailing world, and worked with the Ellen MacArthur Trust as the official charity during our final three years as title sponsor of Cowes Week. It seems only natural, then, that we have chosen to work alongside the Trust in creating an exciting new project for 2009 – the Ellen MacArthur Trust Skandia Round Britain voyage of discovery.

Starting from Cowes in May, 85 young people from the Trust will sail anticlockwise around Britain, stopping at 17 ports along the way and finishing back in Cowes in September. At each stopover the young crew will visit the hospitals and treatment centres which have helped them recover from cancer and leukaemia and inspire those currently going through treatment.

The Ellen MacArthur Trust has been running four-day sailing trips from its base in Cowes on the Isle of Wight since 2003. But, as Dame Ellen explains, this is really taking its work to the next level. "This is an amazing project for the Trust," she says. "I cannot fully express the impact the four-day sailing trips have on these young people. So I can only imagine the effects that a voyage around Britain will have. The opportunity for these young people to share their experiences with others in treatment and to show them there is a light at the end of the tunnel is very, very special."

Needless to say, Skandia is delighted to be involved in such an inspirational project. It was Skandia staff who chose the Trust to be the official charity of Skandia Cowes week, so it has a special place in many of our hearts. The youngsters sailing on the voyage will have faced greater difficulties that many of us ever will but have great aspirations and optimism. It is the work of charities like the Ellen MacArthur Trust that build the children’s confidence and keeps them smiling and we are excited to be a part of this great work.

To find out more about the voyage visit www.roundbritain.org

 

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