They anchored in Stokes Bay on the first night and then spent Tuesday doing lots of sail training and manoeuvres, as well as going out on the bowsprit, learning to steer and filling in the logbook: Just a few possible spaces left for volunteer watchleaders and bosuns – can anyone help? Some of these are definite gaps; others are where people have alerted me that they MAY need to drop out and we want to have a reserve in mind: OYT South clothing– do you want an OYT South t-shirt, hoodie or hat to wear on board, or as a souvenir afterwards?

Prolific’s accommodation includes 6 staff berths towards the stern (two pairs and two single cabins); 10 berths in the saloon; 6 in the fore cabin; and a small cabin in the bows, which can be used for group leaders if they prefer separate accommodation. She also has a huge saloon with room for everyone for meals, briefings, games and more; a good navigation area with lots of space for young people to get involved; plenty of galley space including separate cooking and washing-up areas; and a great workshop. Big thanks this week to Josh, Lauren, Lynne, Susanna, Caitlin Neall-Johnston, Julian Ware and Robert Lawrence. Then came a voyage for the Amber Foundation, which houses and supports homeless young people facing complex challenges. After introductions and safety briefings, they sailed down to Yarmouth on the first evening, watching the sunset and playing some games on board. If you are new to OYT South and wondering whether you would enjoy being a refit volunteer, why not book on a September adult voyage, to see the boat and meet some of the team?My favourite bit has just been really watching everyone throw themselves into leading stuff, it’s been really really impressive. But also how everyone else supported them when they were doing leading, that was really really good.” It is a very expensive business maintaining a boat, running an office and employing staff. If you want to help us, please become a member of OYT South. Or see here for information on making a donation. Thank you for showing us around the Solent and explaining the amazing work you all do. Amazing day, great day learning new skills and meeting new people. Keep up the good work!”

Voyages can last from two days to two weeks but in general will include four or five nights on board. This allows time for young people to develop familiarity and confidence in sailing the boat; make friends; work as a team; learn new skills; earn recognised qualifications; face new challenges; have a lot of fun; and go home with a real sense of achievement.My memorable bit would be the waves and getting absolutely drenched, I thought that was really funny, having the feel of, like, a roller coaster as we were going up and down the waves.”

Our Chief Executive, Mark Todd, was the inaugural winner of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s Award for Command Commitment to Sail Training, the highest professional recognition available in sail training. Some young people and their families pay for their own places; other places are funded by the schools, clubs or charities which arrange the voyage. But OYT South also maintains a bursaries fund for disadvantaged or vulnerable young people who cannot afford even the basic subsidised voyage cost: small sums for people who can raise most of the money for themselves and just need a little help, all the way through to examples of full funding for exceptionally disadvantaged young people in genuine need. Sally Croly leaving NEXT WEEK after 20 years! – please contribute to her leaving present or write a message for her leaving cardSeveral of the Amber crew were very focussed on using the voyage to develop skills that will help them move into employment and independent living and at the end of the voyage remarked on having practised “Trying different ways to deal with a situation”; “ Teamwork to get jobs done”; “Keeping myself busy to take mind off things”; “Negotiating organisation of jobs”; “Communication when doing jobs”; “Doing jobs for people who did jobs for me”; “ Doing a knot wrong and learning from it”; “Relaying instructions and how to do stuff”; and “Feeling confident around new people”. A voyage with Ocean Youth Trust South is not just about learning to sail, but about developing qualities which matter in everyday life. At the start of the voyage, you should remind the skipper or first mate that you want to use the voyage as your Residential Project. They can then watch your progress during the voyage and ensure that you are given every opportunity to show what you can do to achieve a really positive report in your Record Book at the end of the voyage. The first stage was to ask crew members to submit their drawings, and this happened on last year’s voyage with Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, for brothers and sisters of children with life-limiting conditions. We have our five-step #SailToWellbeing programme, based on research endorsed by the NHS and MIND: five simple steps which are proven to help with mental and physical wellbeing, each of which is a natural part of a sail training voyage: