Caerphilly pupils sail on nautical adventure to Spain

Eight adventurous pupils from Caerphilly County Borough experienced the full force of nature, as they sailed 320 miles from Portugal to Spain as part of the Tall Ships Race. Pupils from Crosskeys College, Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, Heolddu Comprehensive, and St Martins Comprehensive schools took on the week-long voyage with sailing training charity, Challenge Wales, and Caerphilly Adventurers as part of the Duke of Edinburgh programme. The 320-mile trip took the group from Lisbon, Portugal to Cadiz, Spain at the end of July. Challenge Wales help those aboard to develop their personal and social skills. Richard Batten, Duke of Edinburgh Development Officer, said: “The benefits I see from the voyages alongside the sailing skills learnt are the personal achievements. I see young people stepping on board as individuals but leaving as part of a team. Their confidence, self-esteem, ability and respect all shine through helping them to make lifelong friendships, which is a real bonus when delivering this programme.”