News Archive

Skills for Working Life Student Sets Sail!

Greg Vincent

Eastleigh College Skills for Working Life student, Greg Vincent, is about to embark on the voyage of a lifetime as he takes to the seas with the Jubilee Sailing Trust. The Trust is a sailing charity for young people of all physical abilities, and Greg will be spending the first week of March sailing around the Canary Islands with them.

Thanks to his sponsors, the Southampton Round Table, Greg flew out to Gran Canaria on Monday 2nd March, and will be sailing around the Islands before flying back to England on 9th March. Joining Greg on his voyage is his sister Rachel, who will be acting as his 'buddy'. Every person with a disability on the Trust's ships has an able-bodied 'buddy' who works alongside them.

The Trust specialise in providing young people with learning disabilities and difficulties with the opportunities to experience sailing in a truly unique way. They own and operate two tall ships, the Lord Nelson and Tenacious, which have been designed to be sailed by children of all types of physical disability.

Greg, who is in his second year at the College, said:
"I'm really excited. I have been sailing before with friends, but on very different boats and nothing as exciting as this!"

Greg will be working hard on the trip, as each person is expected to do night and day watch duty, as well as mess duty in the kitchen. Greg feels that skills he has gained on the Skills for Working Life course will help him cope with the latter, as he has enthusiastically taken part in catering lessons while in College. He also feels that his course has enabled him to improve his independence and be more able to look after himself, extremely useful as this will be the first time he has been away without his parents. The trip itself will count as part of his course as he is able to use it as a work experience opportunity, and his classmates will be able to log onto the website while he is away to track his journey.

Release date 06/03/2009