A team of military veterans have set sail on an ambitious sailing trip from Land's End to John O'Groats. The 25-strong crew is made up of Armed Forces veterans who have been affected by their military service - or struggling with isolation during the pandemic.
The expedition has been organised by Turn to Starboard - a Falmouth-based charity that uses sail training to help veterans with physical and mental injuries. The aim is for participants to experience the known therapeutic effects of sailing and the sea, boost self-esteem, develop lifelong skills, and connect with others facing similar challenges as their own.
A fleet of four yachts took to the water on Sunday, September 12 at Falmouth in Cornwall. The amateur crew will now travel up the west coast of Britain for the next three weeks with stopovers at ports along the route.
All crew members have all gone through four days of training and familiarisation sessions at Falmouth where they learnt the basics of sailing to help man the yachts.
The fleet is expected to cross the finish line at John O'Groats in early October. Here they will swap places with a new team of veterans who will depart for the return voyage.
Each yacht is fitted with a GPS location device so the shore support team, family members and supporters can track their progress. See www.turntostarboard.co.uk/long-way-up-live-gps-tracker
To learn more about the expedition, or to make a donation, visit www.turntostarboard.co.uk or call 01326 314262.
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