A scheme which helps get primary school children, underprivileged and disadvantaged children and youth groups out on the water is expanding, allowing more young people to take part in Guernsey this summer.
Pilot Cutters Week is one of the Set Sail Trust’s major initiatives and has brought a number of replica pilot cutters to Guernsey since it was established in 2006, giving local primary school children, youth and special needs groups a unique nautical experience. This year, the Set Sail Trust, with the help of 12 corporate ambassadors, aims to get 800 children aboard.
This years corporate ambassadors are; Appleby, Bank of Butterfield, Brooks Macdonald, Canaccord Genuity, Deutsche Bank International, Generali Worldwide, Guernsey Harbours, IAM Advisory, Odey Wealth, Ravenscroft Stockbroking and Investment Management, RBS International, and Rocq Capital.
The project, which celebrated its tenth anniversary last year, means young people can sail the local waters and are given an opportunity to be actively involved in crewing the ships. They also learn about maritime history and safety at sea, while at the same time build their confidence.
As a result of the high level of demand to participate in the special week, the Set Sail Trust has extended the duration of the ships’ visit with three vessels set to be in Guernsey from 12th to 23rd June, which will also enable more children to enjoy the waters and more businesses to become corporate ambassadors.
For a donation of £1,500, each corporate ambassador funds a sailing experience for the day for school children or special needs groups and also takes part in the pilot cutters evening challenge, a great opportunity for team building, corporate hospitality or social club activity.
Last year, thirty-six primary school groups and seventeen other youth groups took to the high seas thanks to the generosity of local businesses that sponsored the ships.
Andreas Tautscher, Chairman, Set Sail Trust, said: ‘Pilot Cutters Week has always been a great success of the Set Sail Trust, and it is very exciting that we can expand the week this year and give even more children the opportunity to benefit from the scheme. Not only does the initiative make full use of the natural environment we are blessed with in Guernsey by giving young people a taste of sailing, but it also helps them build some real self-confidence which can be invaluable.
‘Based on feedback from previous years, we also expect there to be significant interest from potential corporate and personal ambassadors, so in its 11th year, this is shaping up to be a particularly impressive turnout for one of the Trust’s flagship events.’
Trustees of the Set Sail Trust include Deutsche Bank, TPA and IAM Advisory.
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