Description
Hosted by the Tall Ships Youth Trust, this coastal voyage offers a supportive, fun and unique experience designed to help young people grow and simply enjoy new experiences.
It’s a great chance to learn new skills, gain experience for your CV, improve teamwork and problem-solving skills, and just take a break from the pressures of daily life.
No sailing experience is needed either. You just need to be willing to get involved and try something new!
Unfortunately, due to low sign-up numbers, we have postponed this event to 26th – 30th October. We are still hoping to run it in October, subject to enough interest.
If you’re interested in attending, please let us know – your interest will help us decide whether we can go ahead.
What to expect
Over the five days at sea, you’ll become part of the crew and get hands‑on with every aspect of sailing, including:
- Steering the vessel
- Hoisting and setting sails
- Operating winches
- Food preparation and galley duties
- General crew tasks and team challenges
- Taking turns on night watches alongside trained staff
You can see more what life onboard is like in the video below.
Please have a look on the Tall Ships Youth Trust website to find out more.
Who can take part?
This event is open to young people aged 12–18 (at the time of the voyage), who are either a sibling of someone living with EB, or
a child of a parent living with EB.
There are 10 places available.
No young person with EB will be on board — this trip is specifically designed for young relatives.
Cost
£75 per person.
Need a little help getting to the event?
We don’t want finances to be a barrier. If you need support to attend, we may be able to help through our support grants.
Visit our support grants page or get in touch:
📧 communitysupport@debra.org.uk
📞 01344 771961 (option 1) – just ask for Abby or Karen, and we’ll be happy to talk things through.
What to bring
A full kit list will be provided, but key items include:
- Soft holdall or rucksack (no hard suitcases, so it can easily fit into small spaces)
- Sleeping bag (synthetic, 3–4 season hollow fibre sleeping bags are recommended)
- Towel (big cotton towels can be slow to dry and can make your cubbyhole damp. If you have one, bring a lightweight microfibre towel as they dry quickly)
- Spare trainers (that you don’t mind getting wet) or sailing wellies
- Pillow and pillowcase
We will provide: waterproofs, life jackets, safety equipment.
Safety and accessibility
Participants must be able to:
- Manage personal care independently
- Step up/down 30cm and climb a ladder with assistance
- Follow simple safety instructions
- Work as part of a small team without 1‑to‑1 support
- Sleep in a shared cabin
- Manage being on watch overnight (with guidance)
- Lifejackets must be worn when directed by the skipper
- If prone to seasickness, please bring suitable medication
This is a special experience that we’re so pleased to bring you. Apply today so you don’t miss out!
