What do we want to do?

We want to undertake a challenge like no other! We want to take up to 40 young people from Cornwall, many that have never sailed before, and sail around the UK on a 57ft sailing training ship! With your help, the young people will sail 2,000 nautical miles over 4 legs. They will visit 20 ports, visit amazing museums, wonder at our coastline, spot whales and dolphins, and most importantly challenge themselves every step of the way.

The young people who'll benefit from your help.

The young people taking part in ASPIRE360 are from Fowey River Academy in Cornwall, coming from a variety of different backgrounds and places like St Blazey, Fowey, Polruan, and Lostwithiel. Whilst Cornwall is one of the most beautiful places in the country, its rural isolation and low income per capita means many families struggle to give their children the opportunities that others may take for granted.  So with your help, we want to reduce the barrier to entry for such an amazing trip.

"I'll never stop feeling grateful for the amazing opportunity you gave my daughter, your work with young people, especially those that would not normally ever get the opportunity to experience something like this, is amazing. Life-changing stuff." Anna - a parent of a child who has sailed before.

Our young people all deserve this wonderful opportunity to experience something really special, to see the UK under sail. They deserve to set out on their own adventure, to test their skills as team players, as sailors and citizens of Britain’s nautical heritage. They deserve that uniqueness of time for themselves to be excited, to relax, to feel the water beneath them and the exhilaration of the wind in the sails.

ASPIRE360 will be something they remember for the rest of their lives. Your amazing support will make it happen. 

In 2017 we undertook another Round Britain which: 

• Raised aspiration & created life chances
  • As a direct result, 4 of the 8 who took part have undertaken careers in a maritime field
• Raised self-esteem, motivation and resilience
  • The young people, their teachers, and parents have all commented how more able the young people are
• Created learning by stealth opportunities, building skills in Maths, English, Geography and other subjects.
  • Some of the children who sailed undertook additional Royal Yachting Association qualifications
• Connected young people with their environment
  • Being so connected to the great outdoors makes us all appreciate the diverse wonder of our coastline and the need to protect it
• Provided opportunities for young people to experience maritime careers and gave them pathways into those careers
  • 3 of the 8 who took part have joined the Royal Navy
  • 1 of the 8 became the bosun at another sail training organisation

Don't worry, you're not funding a holiday

The funding raised through this initiative will be used directly to pay for the costs of undertaking this life-changing opportunity and reducing the barriers to those who would not normally be able to afford such an opportunity. Your generous support will help us cover the costs of marinas, food aboard, insurances, fuel, clothing, etc.  

The children taking part do everything aboard the ship, from navigating, raising and setting the sails to baking bread and cooking meals. They will be sailing for up to 48hrs on each segment of the trip and working a watch system of 4hrs on, 4hrs off. 

We will visit museums such as the Titanic Museum in Belfast, the Greenwich Maritime Museum and the Royal Greenwich Observatory in London; the young people will stand astride the historic Prime Meridian splitting East & West and the home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). They will complete learning by stealth, improving English, Maths, and Science skills without the pressures of the classroom.

The route

With your support, we'll be leaving Fowey on the 30th of May 2020 and returning on/about 17th July 2020. We will be sailing in a west about direction visiting many different ports. ASPIRE360 is divided into 4 legs taking around 10 days for each leg. The young people will sail a watch system of 4hrs on 4hrs off for up to 2 days at a time!

The provisional route is shown below:

• Fowey - Neyland
• Neyland - Dublin
• Dublin - Belfast
• Belfast - Carrickfergus
• Carrickfergus - Port Ellen, Islay
• Port Ellen, Islay - Oban
• Oban - Tobermory, Mull
• Tobermory, Mull - Corpach
• Corpach - Fort Augustus
• Fort Augustus - Inverness
• Inverness - Edinburgh
• Edinburgh - Newcastle
• Newcastle - Hull
• Hull - London
• London - Dover
• Dover - Cowes, Isle of White
• Cowes, Isle of White - Salcombe
• Salcombe - Fowey

The organisations behind ASPIRE360

Fowey River Academy is a co-educational secondary school with academy status (Learning Edge Academies Partnership), serving a large and diverse catchment area including Fowey, the nearby towns of St Blazey and Lostwithiel and surrounding villages. We offer a values-based education to our community. We aim to be pioneering in our approach to education and wellbeing and are proud of our distinct and unique location. We aim to offer extraordinary and extensive opportunities in sporting, cultural and character-building contexts that put fun, happiness and caring relationships at the heart of our school culture and maximise exposure to our beautiful coastal location.

Morvargh Sailing Project was incorporated as a Community Interest Company (social enterprise) in January 2010. Since then they have taken many young people sailing on their Tall Ship, Helen Mary R soon to be based in Fowey, Cornwall. They use offshore sailing because it is an unforgiving natural environment that provides a sense of risk and adventure to the participants. Most young people take part with little or no sailing experience but nearly all find it a life-changing experience. Their guiding principle is simple, to; 

Use Sail Training to Inspire & Change Lives.

Please help us to give young people the opportunity to experience the adventure of a lifetime!