Ellen MacArthur Trust together with Skandia

by Media/GN on 31 Dec 2005 2005 has seen The Ellen MacArthur Trust take 45 children recovering from cancer, leukaemia and other serious illnesses sailing.

'Living every day with a serious illness, with …never-ending treatment makes my life seem so miserable at times. The four days were an amazing experience and incredibly enjoyable.' Children from all over the UK, including Northern Ireland, London, Derbyshire, Nottingham and the South Coast of England all spent four days learning about all aspects of life at sea, from helming the boat to washing up.

The charities two patrons Ellen MacArthur and Shirley Robertson, between them sailed with all children who attended the four-day trips.

Nine-year-old Camille Guest from Salisbury loved her first time sailing. 'It’s been so much fun, I really enjoyed the water fights and learning how to make certain types of knot. I’ve also learned how to put the mainsail up.'

'The best thing has been everything,' summed up 14-year-old Laura West from Winchester, 'But sailing is hard work!'

'Living every day with a serious illness, with what seems to be never ending treatment makes my life seem so miserable at times. Having the opportunity to take part in the wonderful sport of sailing brightens up my life. The four days were an amazing experience and incredibly enjoyable. All of the crew and volunteers became great friends. The whole trip was such fun that I found myself hoping that I will be given the chance to go back and sail again.' Explained fourteen-year-old Emma Greenaway.

The Ellen MacArthur Trust has just been named the official charity for Skandia Cowes Week for the next three years. Giving the Trust the platform to raise its profile and increase fundraising activities, which ultimately will allow more children suffering from a serious illness to be introduced to the joys of sailing.

2005 also saw the introduction of one-day sailing trips for life limited children and their families. The day is an escape from living with their illness and provide memories for the whole family that will stay with them forever.

The Ellen MacArthur Trust also started racing in 2005. Children who had previously enjoyed sailing on a four-day trip were invited to return and race in the JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race. In 2006 The Ellen MacArthur Trust plans to enter boats in both the Round the Island Race and Skandia Cowes Week for the first time.

Daniel Monk was one of the first sailors to attend an Ellen MacArthur Trust sailing trips in 2003. Daniel was made skipper of the Trust’s Round the Island Race entry in 2005 prior to being re-admitted to hospital in July for a bone marrow transplant. Sailing is one of Daniel’s inspirations to keep fighting his illness as he explained. 'Every time I feel really down I just think back to when we were on the boat and it puts a smile on my face. I look forward to going again. Hopefully as soon as I’m a bit better I’m going to go sailing straight away – I love it.'

Frank Fletcher, formally of UKSA and Partnership Manager for the Gipsy Moth project joined The Ellen MacArthur Trust as its first full-time employee in November. Frank has been involved with the Trust since it began, on a voluntary basis, as a Trustee.

He has been employed to manage all aspects of the Trust’s activity from the co-ordination and management of the sailing trips to raising the funds to secure the long term future of the Trust. He also intends to substantially increase the number of hospitals the Trust is involved with and in turn the number of children The Ellen MacArthur Trust can help.

Website: http://www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org

Background:

In the summer of 2000 some months before the start of the Vendée Globe round-the-world race, Ellen MacArthur went sailing in France with a group of children suffering from cancer and leukaemia. The trips were organised by the French charity ‘A Chacun son Cap’ (loosely translated as 'Everyone has a Goal’).

Ellen described it as one of the best day’s sailing she had ever had: 'We laughed so much we had tears in our eyes and the kids were just incredible.' Having worked with A Chacun son Cap. and also Sargent Cancer Care, for a couple of years, Ellen decided it was time to launch a similar project in the UK. This has become The Ellen MacArthur Trust, which is now a registered charity (no. 1096491).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
T: +44 0870 063 6774 or email info@ellenmacarthurtrust.org