For the eleventh year we have funded pupils from local schools to take part in a once in a lifetime opportunity with the Tall Ships Youth Trust.

Ten pupils from eight Peterborough schools will spend five days crewing the tall ships and sailing off the south coast. As well as learning to sail, the 80 young people are fully integrated into the crew and are responsible for running the vessels 24/7, which includes learning to navigate and read charts, as well as assisting in the galley and helping to maintain the ships themselves.

The experience helps the young people to gain in confidence and learn new life skills as well as experience activities and offers a huge boost to their self-esteem. It also teaches them teamwork, co-operation, and leadership, leaving them with the confidence and willingness to take on new responsibilities and overcome challenges.

Our Chief Executive, Claire Higgins, explains why the company supports this project: “A key strand of our continued community investment strategy is around empowering the next generation, and this project is a great example of how we can do this. Some of the students have struggled at school or suffer from low self-confidence and so to take them into a completely new environment, so far out of their comfort zone, and offer them the chance to succeed sometimes far above their own expectations, gives them such a huge feeling of achievement especially after climbing to the very top of the mast. And not to forget, it’s great fun too!”

Andrew Thorpe, Assistant Principal at Ormiston Bushfield Academy said: “I can say without doubt that the OBA students that complete their Tall Ships Challenge grow in confidence. Their self-esteem on completing tasks outside of their comfort zone rises dramatically. They forge new friendships and relationships and always return to us extremely proud of their achievements. Self-doubt disappears and transforms into a belief in what they can achieve. The experience is aspirational!”

Pupils from Ormiston Bushfield Academy, and Jack Hunt School completed their voyages before the summer holidays, while Ken Stimpson Community School, Queen Katherine Academy, St. John Fisher Catholic High School, Nene Park Academy, Thomas Deacon Academy and Greater Peterborough University Technical College (GPUTC) will take to the high seas in September and October.