The charity sponsored a group of young sailors from Alderman Peel High School, Wells-next-the-Sea, to try out sail training back in July. The group embarked on a leg of the Tall Ships Race that took them from Lowestoft to Den Helder in the Netherlands and then across to Hartlepool. Amongst them was Chelsey, who had never sailed before but was nominated for The Cuthbert Award after showing true strength of character and determination on her 10-day voyage with the Excelsior Trust. Charlotte Hathaway, Excelsior Skipper explains:
“Chelsey was always one of the first to volunteer with sail changes at sea and repairs in port. On the return journey, when we had two days of rough weather and everyone was seasick, she still appeared on deck to help other watches, either taking the helm when people needed a break or making cups of tea or bringing snacks.”
The Norfolk Boat is a charity that was founded in 1982, by Andrew Cuthbert from North Norfolk with the idea that young people of Norfolk could be awarded bursaries to learn to sail and, through the sailing, learn just what strengths they really had. The then Lord Coke of Holkham agreed to donate all the proceeds of the 1980 Holkham Country Fair (£25,000) to The Norfolk Boat and, more than 40 years on, the charity is still sending youngsters off to sea.
In 2023 the charity sponsored nearly one hundred sailors on 12 different voyages, not just school children from Norfolk but also young people who have just left care, and those who are struggling with homelessness and serious mental health issues. Andrew Cuthbert, the founder, explains that: “learning to sail is sometimes the result, but the purpose is to inspire and develop, hence our charity motto of: INSPIRING AND DEVELOPING THE SPIRIT OF NORFOLK YOUTH.”
The present Norfolk Boat chairman, Anthony Hunt, agrees that The Cuthbert Award winner sums up what The Norfolk Boat is all about.
“We are thrilled to award this to Chelsey, who has shown such team spirit and resilience. Learning to sail is just a small part of what these young people experience when they set off on these voyages, they often discover strengths they never knew they had. The Cuthbert Award is for any young sailor that has gone ‘above and beyond’ and our winner this year has certainly done that.”
Chelsey herself says: “The Tall Ships sailing trip has ignited a lifelong passion for me and sparked new interests in both sailing and boat maintenance, which I envisage will be a big part of my life in future. The trip overall was fantastic.”
Could you be in with a chance of being next year’s winner with The Norfolk Boat Charity? Or to find out more about the work of The Norfolk Boat and how to apply for a bursary, visit: https://www.norfolkboat.org.uk
For more information about how to get out on the water in the East Region, visit www.rya.org.uk/startboating.
