40 young students sailed on board the 200ft tall ship Stavros S Niarchos as part of HSBC-funded Tall Ships Youth Trust Voyage of Achievement

19-9-2013 — /EuropaWire/ — 40 young students from the Boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Newham will return to London today for the last night of a 9 day sailing adventure with the Tall Ships Trust. 20 young people from Kingsford Community School and 20 from Stepney Green Maths and Computing College have taken part in a 9-night sea going adventure sailing on board the magnificent 200ft tall ship Stavros S Niarchos.

The crew, made up of young people aged 14 to 15 is taking part in the 13^th Anniversary Tall Ships Youth Trust Voyage of Achievement, funded by HSBC. They have sailed along the south coast and visited Fecamp, a port in Northern France. Today they will return to London, sailing up the Thames, past iconic landmarks and under Tower Bridge.

Students on a sailing adventure develop life skills, confidence and team work, while on a practical level they learn first-hand about sailing, geography and weather systems. Over the past 12 years more than 700 young people have taken part in these HSBC supported voyages. A number have returned to work as volunteers for the Tall Ships Youth Trust charity, while some have gone on to develop a career within the marine industry or taken up sailing as a lifelong interest. For the first time this year, four HSBC employees will join the voyage as mentors to the young people, learning to sail a tall ship and also developing their own leadership and influencing skills.

Lorraine Thomas, Senior Manager for HSBC Education and Community Investment, said: “Developing life skills in young people both in and outside of traditional education is extremely important, and HSBC is delighted to support the Tall Ships Voyage of Achievement for the 13th year.”

On joining the ship in Southampton, students were assigned to one of three teams, called “watches”. Each watch has spent the whole of the 9-night voyage working together, living together in a cabin and even rising at 4am for night watch duties. The students have taken part in every aspect of sailing the Tall Ship.

Tim Law, Operations Director of the Tall Ships Youth Trust, said: “For the past week, the students have lived in close quarters with each other in a new and challenging environment. They’ve forged friendships, faced challenges and taken part in new experiences – at the same time developing skills that will stand them in good stead for their future lives. ”

For further information please contact the HSBC press office:

Emma Fahy- 07920 413 030 – emma1.fahy@hsbc.com

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Pictured here are 40 young people from the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Newham, preparing to set sail on a 9 day sailing adventure. The trip is part of the HSBC funded Voyage of Achievement.