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Young people prepare to set sail
Eight lucky
Pembrokeshire youngsters have become the first ever beneficiaries of
Milford Haven Port Authority’s Voyage of a Lifetime scheme.
Voyage of Lifetime was
set up in autumn 2007 through Milford Haven Port Authority’s Community
Initiative. In partnership with the Tall Ships (Wales) Trust, the Tall
Ships Youth Trust and the Jubilee Sailing Trust, MHPA offered young
people in Pembrokeshire the opportunity to embark upon a life changing
experience.
After making it through an initial sift in applicants, individuals
passed through an interview stage, to gauge their enthusiasm and ability
to embark upon this challenging, but unique opportunity.
All of the applicants have chosen different voyages, with some
travelling to Norway or France and others choosing to stay closer to
home. Voyages range from seven to ten days, with applicants having the
opportunity to experience all aspects of ship life as part of a watch
with Tall Ships Youth Trust or to buddy up with a physically disabled
person and help sail a Jubilee Sailing Trust Vessel.
The final eight gathered together on the traditional vessel ‘Keewaydin’
in Milford Docks this month, to meet each other and discuss their
upcoming voyages. There was also the opportunity to find out more about
what life is like aboard a Tall Ship, through discussions with past
Voyagers and partner organisations.
Community Officer Claire Palmer commented ‘It has been fantastic to
bring all of the young people together. They are all from different
backgrounds and different parts of Pembrokeshire, but they all share a
huge enthusiasm for the experiences they are about to embark upon. They
have promised to come back with stories and photos of their voyages. I
hope these will inspire even more young people to apply for the scheme
in the autumn’
MHPA’s Community
Officer Claire Palmer with Jubilee Sailing Trust’s Mike Mansfield and
successful Applicants of the Voyage of a Lifetime Scheme. |
