Ocean Youth Trust (North) is a charitable organisation that provides adventures under sail for young people, on its yacht James Cook.
Further information on OYT can be found at http://www.oytnorth.org.uk
A brief history of OYT is that it was established in 1987 by Thomas Boyd (of Boyd Line Shipping, Hull) and was based out of Hull docks for many years before moving to Whitby and then North Shields. As a charity we are very keen to re-establish the links with Hull and the surrounding area.
OYT has recently been successful in obtaining funding from the Reckitts Foundation (in Hull) to fund a 2-week voyage on James Cook for 12 young people from Hull and the surrounding area, who will participate in a leg of the Tall Ships Challenge from Shetland to Denmark, before returning by sea to Hull.
Our plans at this time are for all selected young persons (15 to 17 years) to travel in a minibus, in company with OYT volunteers, to Aberdeen on Thursday 27th July and catch the 1700 hours overnight ferry to Lerwick, arriving early morning on Friday 28th and then joining James Cook. We anticipate - weather depending - on arriving back in Hull Marina on Friday 11th August.
No previous sailing experience is necessary and all personal protective equipment and wet weather gear will be provided for the voyage, along with all meals and refreshments. All participants will need a current passport (please be aware of current challenges re delays in obtaining passports)
We would ask that all young person's taking part contribute £350* towards the cost of travel and personal insurance, this also ensures a personal commitment to undertaking the voyage once 'signed on' to taking part. * In some circumstances this can be flexed.
We are looking for nominations from schools and youth organisations in these localities for young people aged 15 to 17 years old.
If you have a young person in your school who has contributed to their community in some way, or someone who has overcome a personal disadvantage to maintain a positive outlook, or someone who you believe, for whatever reason, deserves the opportunity to participate , then please send a nomination into the OYT office, providing a short precis of why you are nominating them.
All successful nominations will be notified by OYT and we will look to provide some pre voyage training before July.
If you have any question or wish to discuss, further feel free to contact OYT staff on the details given.
I live locally and I would be more than happy to come into school and talk to teachers and/or young people about OYT and the Tall Ships Challenge opportunity. Contact Dave.rawding@me.com, mobile 07817 611248.
There was a hugely successful trip from Hull last year and this short video explains how it went for participants and their perspective parents.
