Falmouth sailing charity helps NHS staff impacted by Covid

 A sailing charity is helping NHS workers deal with the trauma of working through the pandemic.

Turn to Starboard, based in Falmouth in Cornwall, was set up to help veterans by taking them on sailing trips which had a therapeutic benefit.

They opened trips to NHS workers in May to help them cope with the mental and physical toll of the pandemic.

The service has now helped more than 100 NHS workers.

The charity, which runs Project Argo, which offers the trips, said the excursions on traditional tall ships have therapeutic benefits due to the nature of sailing on the sea.

Nurse Simon Lynn said: "It has been a very challenging 20 months.

"From the fear of the unknown at the beginning, to where we were going to go with lockdowns and now it is particularly challenging because of the sheer volume of patients we are seeing and their illnesses."

Kaylie from Project Argo, said: "I've had a lot of people come back and just let it all out, sharing hugs, sharing stories.

"We've had some people say they want to give up but after going out there and sharing that time with their colleagues, they came back and have a new sense of hope."