Providing annual sail training opportunities to young people aged between 15 and 25 years from all over Shetland.

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Shetland Trainees Ready for Sail Training Adventures!

June 26th 2015

Twenty young adults recruited through Sail Training Shetland are preparing for summer sailing adventures as they join Swan as sail trainees to participate in Nordic Sail, an event gathering a fleet of traditionally rigged vessels in the Skagerrak / Kattegat region and Race 2 of The Tall Ships Races 2015 between Kristiansand, Norway and Aalborg, Denmark.

The first ten trainees will board Swan on Sunday evening, before leaving Lerwick on Monday afternoon to sail across the North Sea to Denmark to join the impromptu celebrations in the host port locations at Hirtshals, Denmark and Grimstad and Tromøy in Norway. Swan will remain in Norway for the second ten trainees to join her in Kristiansand on 27 July to take part in Race Two of The Tall Ships Races 2015 to Aalborg in Denmark as part of the magnificent international Tall Ships fleet.

The trainees will experience life as crew members, undertaking tasks such as watch-keeping, setting sails and other domestic duties which they will share with other trainees as part of the onboard team.

Sail training is an adventure activity which includes instruction in all aspects of sailing, but its purpose goes far beyond this. It uses the experience of being at sea as a means to help young people learn about themselves and discover hidden strengths and talents. Sail trainees reap the benefits of their experiences through increased self-confidence, independence, team working, communication skills and testing their personal and physical boundaries, with some going on to pursue careers at sea.

Peter Campbell, Chairman of Sail Training Shetland said, “We are delighted with the interest in this year’s scheme and have recruited an excellent team of trainees from around Shetland. We are sure that they will have a unique experience onboard Swan and will be great ambassadors for Shetland.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our sponsors, grant funders and supporters; Shetland Tall Ships 2011 Limited, Lerwick Port Authority, The Swan Trust, J. R. Hutton Consulting Ltd, Streamline Shipping Group, Tulloch Developments Ltd, CoScan Trust Fund, NB Communication Ltd, Tay-CAD Ltd and Serco NorthLink Ferries for their generous support.”

Follow Swan during her voyages http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-1/centery:60/zoom:11

"Swan" trainees and crew pictured with some of Sail Training Shetland's sponsors and supporters at Lerwick
"Swan" trainees and crew pictured with some of Sail Training Shetland's sponsors and supporters at Lerwick
"Swan" crew and trainees pictuired before their departure for Hitshals, Denmark
"Swan" crew and trainees pictuired before their departure for Hitshals, Denmark
Sponsors
Lerwick Port AuthorityArven Offshore Wind Farm
Associate Sponsors
The Swan Trust
Grant Funders
Bell's Nautical TrustShetland Community Benefit FundSIC Coastal Communities Fund