In this Bulletin
Sections which have changed since last time marked *
- * Refit news and help needed – including volunteers’ weekend THIS WEEKEND 15-16 March
- * Volunteer sea staff – voyages available
- 2025 individual voyages available – individual bookings for young people
- 2025 group voyages available – group bookings for young people or adults
- Adult weekend voyages – including opportunities to look at joining our volunteers’ team
- Funding help if you want to take part in a voyage
- * Events needing volunteers – in Hampshire and in Devon
- * FREE boat show and a chance to visit Prolific – please spread the word
- * Prolific maintenance days – dates for your diary
- * A success story!
- * Advice on careers in the marine sector for young people
- Financial appeal
- Raise funds for OYT South if you’re shopping online – we’ve made over £2,400 through Easyfundraising!
- OYT South social media – please share as well as liking! NB OYT South is leaving Twitter/X – find us on Bluesky instead
- New readers’ welcome and introduction
- Receiving this newsletter by email
* Refit news and help needed – including volunteers’ weekend THIS WEEKEND 15-16 March
Can you come and help us THIS WEEKEND in Ocean Village, Southampton? There’s a lot of work still to do, including a post-refit deep clean of the boat and then we have to get all the kit out of store and back on board, and get the sails back on and new halyards fitted. We’d be enormously grateful for all the help we can get – please email refit@oytsouth.org if you can help (and to ask about accommodation if you need). Usual incentives … cake, good company and more!
This is the current condition of the refit team, so you can see how much they would appreciate your help:
Huge thanks to everyone who has helped at refit this week: Gotch, Josh, Sara, Shaun, Chris Pryke and Keri Hammond.
Shaun has cleaned the steering flat and the pump house area; the aft bilge alarm has been fixed; the tanks were secured and tested; and the saloon floor was put down. Chris has fitted an emergency stop cable to the pump house engine and fully secured our anchor tube with bolts. The mast electrics have been connected and tested – including VHF and AIS. The window seals have been repaired for the season. The hob was connected to gas and we now have a gas certificate.
The sails have been collected from Kemps and the gangway was returned by BD Marine who have been repairing it – thanks to both!
The scaffold tower at Saxon Wharf has been disassembled and we have moved all our gear from Saxon Wharf to the store – very big thanks to them for looking after us this winter.
The team has started prepping the deck including safety equipment and sheets, and the jackstays have been relaid on the deck and lashed/ whipped.
Sara sorted through all of the Notices to Mariners and has ordered some new charts.
And a big tidy up is under way in preparation for the season!
There’s still loads more work to do – please email refit@oytsouth.org if you can spare any time at all, or text Gotch, Josh or Sara if you have their numbers, or use the boat phone 07990 518915, or contact the team via the sea staff WhatsApp groups. Age 18+ only, please.
More details about our refit here – please email refit@oytsouth.org for more information about how you can come and help, and to book yourself in. We aim to make it fun and sociable as well as getting through lots of work. And we’re always happy if anyone turns up with snacks and goodies! And for our sailing volunteers, refit is a chance to get to know bits of the boat you might not see during a normal voyage, and to improve your understanding of how things work.
* Volunteer sea staff – voyages available
Whether or not you already have voyages booked as a volunteer this season, these are the spaces still available – please let us know if you can help with anything. Berths listed for “trainee mates” or “trainee bosuns” MAY be suitable for people who earned new recommendations last year to join our volunteer team, even if you have never sailed in a staff berth before – please ask whether any particular vacancy might be appropriate for you. Dates on this list are when young people are on board – please note that we normally need volunteers the afternoon before, to help get everything ready.
23-27 May, Southampton, qualified or trainee watchleader or bosun. This one doesn’t need sea staff joining the day before.
23-28 June, Southampton, qualified watchleader. Ideally able to stay for the maintenance day on 29th June.
18-23 July, Poole to Brixham, female volunteer needed
TBC 5-10 Aug, Brixham, watchleader possibly needed – someone else MAY need to drop out for work reasons
16-21 Aug, Brixham, qualified watchleader – must be available to stay for the maintenance day on 22nd Aug and to help with an evening event that day
1-5 Oct, Southampton, watchleader or bosun
6-10 Oct, Southampton – qualified or trainee watchleader or bosun
14-19 Oct, Southampton – qualified or trainee watchleader or bosun, ideally able to join for maintenance day on 13th October.
24-28 Oct, Southampton – qualified watchleader
Contact caroline.white@oytsouth.org if you would be interested in sailing on any of these voyages.
For those who are new to the process, do please remember that if you commit to a voyage booking then we do really need you! Sometimes people assume that with several staff and volunteers on each voyage, it won’t be a problem to drop out; or you may think that if you’re not a qualified volunteer, you are not essential to the voyage. But in practice, we need a certain number of adults on every voyage in order to be able to sail – and you may, for example, be the only female member of sea staff on a voyage which has girls in the crew. It’s quite possible that a voyage can’t go ahead without you, which is why we need to avoid people dropping out and if it is absolutely unavoidable, we need as much notice as possible. It is also why we appreciate you all and the time you give to the charity very much indeed!
2025 individual voyages available – individual bookings for young people
Our 2025 programme has plenty of exciting opportunities to join us this year!
These are voyages for young people who want to join a voyage as individuals or smaller groups, and mix with others:
28 May – 1 June, Southampton, 4 nights, £525 per person – 1 place left – half term
30 June – 6 July, Southampton to Le Havre, £735 per person, 6 nights, age 15-25,. Ends with time at a Tall Ships festival – an amazing experience with the fleet!
18-23 July, Poole to Brixham, 5 nights, age 11-25, £630 per person
24-29 July, Brixham to Brixham, 5 nights, age 11-25, £630 per person, places possibly available to join a booking from some members of a Nautical Training Corps unit
30 July – 4 Aug, Brixham to Brixham, 5 nights, age 11-25, £630 per person
11-15 August, Brixham to Brixham, 4 nights, age 11-16, £525 per person. A lot of our individual voyages attract keen young sailors, over-18s, people doing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and people wanting to test themselves with a challenging adventure; and, weather permitting, longer passages such as Channel crossings. But this doesn’t suit everyone! So for next year, we have designated this one shorter coastal voyage as a gentler opportunity, ideal for the younger end of our age range (11-16-year-olds) and passports not required. If you know anyone who is unsure about coping with a more ambitious voyage and wants an easier introduction, this is the voyage for them!
30 Aug – 3 Sept, Poole to Southampton, 4 nights, age 11-25, £525 per person
4-9 Sept, Southampton to Southampton, 5 nights, age 15-25, £630 per person
Email voyageadmin@oytsouth.org to ask about individual bookings.
2025 group voyages available – group bookings for young people or adults
See the 2025 programme or the availability list for group voyages – do you know a school or youth club or another organisation which might like an exclusive booking for 12-15 people?
We can also consider the occasional adult voyage if anyone has an idea for an adult group.
Email caroline.white@oytsouth.org to ask about group bookings and funding help if needed.
Adult weekend voyages – including opportunities to look at joining our volunteers’ team
We have adult weekends (18+, no upper age limit) available as follows:
2-4 May, Southampton, 2 nights, age range 18+, £265 per person, adult weekend voyage (Friday evening to Sunday evening)
10-12 Oct, Southampton, 2 nights, age range 18+, £265 per person, adult weekend voyage (Friday evening to Sunday evening)
Come and enjoy sailing our beautiful boat, or maybe find out what it takes to become a sailing volunteer – these weekends are a chance to find out if you might enjoy volunteering and, if so, for the skipper to recommend you for further volunteer training.
Email seastaffadmin@oytsouth.org to ask about adult weekends.
Funding help if you want to take part in a voyage
If you have sailed with us in the past and earned a recommendation to join our volunteer training programme, you can ask us about funding towards a crew berth to give you extra experience and time on board. The Gipsy Moth Fund is only open to people aged 16-25 who have had a volunteer recommendation from one of our skippers. You just need to tell us which voyage you want to do and how much you can afford to contribute, and we’ll see if we can fund the shortfall.
We also have a standard bursaries programme open to anyone aged 25 or under who wants to sail with us but can’t afford the full cost, whether or not you have sailed with us before, with grants available from a range of different donors. To apply, you need to email us with details of any personal circumstances relevant to why you can’t afford to sail without help; what you want to achieve and why you want to take part; which voyage you want to do (or some options for different possible voyages); and how much you can afford to contribute. You need to think hard about what, if anything, you can raise – bursary applications won’t be considered if they simply ask how much you can have, or request “as much as possible”: your application has to come after serious thought about anything else you can put in. This doesn’t mean we can’t grant 100% bursaries in exceptional circumstances, but we would need to understand why. Our funds are limited and if one person gets a very large grant, someone else may get nothing at all, so it’s important only to ask for as much as you genuinely need.
* Events needing volunteers – in Hampshire and in Devon
This year Prolific will be open to visitors at the South Coast Boat Show in Ocean Village on the weekend of 10th-11th May, and at the Gosport marine festival on 17th May. We will need lots of people to show visitors around the boat and talk about our work – please put the dates in your diary and contact webmaster1@oytsouth.org if you are interested in helping!
We are also hosting an event on board at the end of the maintenance day on Friday 22nd August in Brixham, Devon – let us know if you can help with that.
Any of these events could be suitable for under-18s who have sailed with us: it is always good to have a few enthusiastic young people to talk about what they did on board, and encourage others to try it!
* FREE boat show and a chance to visit Prolific – please spread the word
Are you coming on a voyage, or organising a group of young people to sail, and wanting a chance to look round the boat beforehand? Have you been on a voyage and want to show the boat to your family and friends? Are you thinking of sailing with us but not sure what it might be like? Or interested in finding out more about sailing as an adult volunteer?
MDL’s South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show 2025 could be the answer. It’s FREE show with lots to see – and Prolific will be at the heart of the show and open to the public on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May. Do have a look at the website – and come and say hello to us!
* Prolific maintenance days – dates for your diary
We have planned maintenance days this season on the following dates – please put them in your diary and email us if you can help. Skilled and unskilled tasks available – or maybe a chance to learn a new skill. Over-18s only, please.
Monday 21st April- Southampton
Sunday 18th May – Gosport
Saturday 7th June – Southampton
Sunday 29th June – Southampton
Friday 22nd August – Brixham
Monday 13th October– Southampton
* A success story!
Every year, OYT South runs a voyage with the Amber Foundation, a great project which supports young adults who have been homeless, getting them into work and independent living. This week they tagged us in a social media post which we thought OYT South supporters would like to see, as it is a fantastic illustration of how our voyages can fit within a wider programme of work being carried out with one of our partners, to change a young person’s life for good. The post said:
“Before coming to Amber Ellie found herself sofa surfing as her relationship with her Dad had become fractious and broken down. She was at rock bottom; spending time with the wrong crowd, facing addiction and with limited prospects until the council referred her to Farm Place, Amber’s Surrey centre.
Ellie took advantage of all the opportunities offered while at Amber including an arts project in collaboration with National Trust’s Clandon House and The Lightbox gallery in Woking. Ellie also ventured on the seas with Ocean Youth Trust South, sailing from Poole to the Isle of Wight. “Going on the boat was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. At first I wasn’t sure but honestly, I loved it. I made great friends from that trip and it was a lot of fun.”
The Amber Team Leaders were always there for Ellie; going above and beyond: “The staff really care and they’re great, they do a lot for us and I’m so grateful for that.”
Ellie’s next chapter is exciting as she moved out into her own flat. She has also secured work on a building site and is working towards her CSCS card. Her next goals are to learn to drive, stay clean, surround herself with good people and just be herself.
If she hadn’t come to Amber, Ellie feels she would still be reliant on drugs and nothing would’ve changed for her: “I don’t second guess myself now, I know I’m capable of anything I set my mind to. I used to find it hard to say no but the workshops I completed at Amber with the Team Leaders helped me with boundaries and improved my communication skills.”
Ellie’s time at Amber has restored her confidence and given her purpose. “I know what I want to do with my life. I used to put myself down, but now I’m thinking positively. I’m much happier with myself and my self-esteem has grown; I used to hate myself. I’ve rebuilt my relationship with my Dad too.”
Ellie’s feeling amazing to move forward with the next chapter of her life. “Farm Place has been great and it’s worked miracles for me, but I want to work and live independently. I’m ready to live my life.”
* Advice on careers in the marine sector for young people
We have created a page on the website for links to a huge variety of careers in the marine sector – at the end of every voyage, there will be a link to this on the back of the voyage certificates given to the young people, to give them ideas about opportunities both afloat and ashore, with options for people with different interests, skills and levels of education, and hopefully including ideas that many will never have considered, alongside the more obvious maritime roles. The page is a work in progress and we are keen to add more links, so if you have any suggestions, please send them in.
Financial appeal
We need a regular flow of funds to cover at least three major areas: bursaries for young people who could not otherwise afford to sail; vessel maintenance and equipment; and staff salaries – please help, or pass on our details to anyone you come across who might make a grant, large or small.
See here for how to make a donation – you can contribute by cheque, bank transfer or PayPal, but please do something if you possibly can. Don’t forget that if you complete and return a Gift Aid form we can claim back tax on your donation.
Raise funds for OYT South if you’re shopping online – we’ve made over £2,400 through Easyfundraising!
“What a fool I was!” says Mark Todd.
“For ages I’ve seen in the bulletin that Easyfundraising is a good way to raise money for charity, but I never got round to doing anything about it, and when Caz told me how easy it was, I didn’t listen.
I thought it might be a hassle, or that I’d have to remember to do something when I bought stuff online, or that it probably wasn’t really worthwhile.
This week I finally got round to it and it turns out it’s a REALLY EASY way to raise money for the charity I care about … and I definitely should have done it sooner.
It takes a minute or two to sign up; you can do it on a desktop, tablet and/or phone, and you can install a widget that flags up when a donation is available. Once that’s done, imagine you’re looking to buy – say – a rainbow unicorn: just put “rainbow unicorn” in your usual search box, and the list of results shows you which sites come with donations, and how much. It’s up to you what to pick and whether to accept the donation from the site, but a huge choice of sites will offer a donation – and it doesn’t cost you a penny.
I don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner … but if there’s anyone else who has been like me and just not got round to it, PLEASE click the link now and sign up!”
We have already raised over £2,400 through Easyfundraising – huge thanks to everyone who has used it!
OYT South social media – please share as well as liking! NB OYT South is leaving Twitter/X – find us on Bluesky instead
If you look at the top left of any page on our website, you can click on icons for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. We are also on TikTok.
We have now updated the social media links on our website, replacing Twitter/X with Bluesky – please come and join us there!
Please share our social media posts as widely as you can – with the help of all our supporters, this charity is doing some amazing work and we need more people to hear about it. You don’t need to do anything more than share a post, or perhaps add a comment which could be as simple as “I’ve sailed with this charity!” or “I volunteer for this charity!”.
Please note that OYT South has a policy that our adult staff and volunteers should not make or accept personal online connections with crew members aged under 18, or vulnerable adults. Crew members can use the sites to stay in touch with the boat and with each other, but not with individual staff and volunteers.
New readers’ welcome and introduction
If you have recently registered your interest in OYT South, welcome to our newsletter, which is sent out almost every week, normally on a Friday, and is also copied onto the website.
If you have just started receiving this newsletter by email, it is because we believe you have signed up and consented to receive it – perhaps by emailing us to ask for it, completing a form on our website, or adding your email address to the book on board where people can sign up to receive news, as well as leaving comments. If this was a mistake or you simply decide you want to stop receiving the newsletter, just press “reply” to the email and write UNSUBSCRIBE at the top, or email webmaster1@oytsouth.org asking to unsubscribe.
Each week the newsletter includes a wide range of news from the boat and from the charity, including details of voyages available for young people; adult voyages; opportunities for adult volunteers both ashore and afloat, and much more. We find that while some people read the bulletin almost every week, many others dip in and out, and read it when it’s convenient – which is why some items are repeated. New items are marked with an asterisk * so that if you did read it last week, you can see which sections you can safely skip.
Please feel free to join in any OYT South activities – nothing here is restricted to long-standing members or people who already know one another. New people are always very welcome!
If you need an introduction to the work of OYT South, you should find a lot of useful information on our website. But essentially, we are a registered charity (no. 1079959) which exists to offer adventure under sail as a personal development opportunity for young people aged 11-25, from the widest possible range of backgrounds. A high proportion of our young crew members are disadvantaged or deserving in some way: many of these sail in groups organised by other charities, youth clubs, special schools and so on, and will fill the bulk of our term-time voyages. But those from more fortunate backgrounds are also welcome to sail, either in groups or by coming as individuals on a mixed voyage. Every year we run a variety of shorter local voyages plus longer adventure trips – sometimes including Tall Ships races during the summer holidays. If you are aged 11-25 and hoping to sail as a crew member, take a look here – and this section is also useful for adults who are thinking of organising a voyage for a young person. Adults planning to organise a full group voyage should also see here. Adults who want to sail themselves should see here.
We have a professional staff skipper, mate and engineer, but our watch leaders are normally all volunteers, who combine sailing skills with an interest in working with young people. You can find more information here – how the system works, how to join, and profiles of existing staff and volunteers.
To volunteer for OYT South ashore, please see here. To help with the vessel’s annual refit, see here.
It is a very expensive business maintaining a boat, running an office and employing staff. If you want to help us, please become a member of OYT South. Or see here for information on making a donation.
If you have any questions, please do email – or contact the office.
Receiving this newsletter by email
Many thanks to all those who have given consent to receiving this newsletter by email. If you are not currently getting it by email and would like to, please just click here Newsletter Subscribe and press “send”, or email webmaster1@oytsouth.org.