Baroness Masham has joined the board of Trustess of the Ocean Youth Trust North, to help highlight the positive outcomes Sail Training has on young people. Full story here.

ASTO and UK Sail Training were very honoured to be chosen to meet Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on their visit to the Isle of Wight yesterday. 5 ASTO member vessels were in prime position in the Yacht Haven with their trainee crews waving and cheering as Her Majesty arrived. The Queen then met James Stevens and Lucy Gross from ASTO, as well as Helen Gilpin and Charlie Harris from Cowes-based member organisation IYWAC. We told her about how Sail Training could be a formative experience for many young people and that they could gain many useful life skills. She seemed to agree.

Another young man from IYWAC who had been invited to be there, had been so successfull as a trainee that he had been offered a job abroad and could therefore not attend. Proof that Sail Training can be a lifechanging opportunity! Thank you to IYWAC for helping make the day memorable for Her Majesty.

ASTO would also like to thank the organisations that brought their boats to the event: Rona Sailing Project, Discovery Sailing Project, and the Little Brig Trust. They helped make the Yacht Haven look spectacular for her visit.

ASTO meeting the Queen, please click for larger image.

The Cat Zero programme based in Hull have started working with the Job Centre in Grimsby to teach young job seekers life skills and support them in their search for employment. Full story here.

Cat Zero already have an excellent track record in developing young people, more details available on our 'Why does it work?' page.

The Prizegiving for the London to Portland Small Ships Race took place at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy at 1800 on Saturday. Prizes were awarded for the youngest crew members, the oldest crew member (80!), race comms, youngest skipper, and of course for winning places in the Race!  The coveted Richard Langhorn Trophy (voted for by the crews of all the boats) for the vessel that best represents the spirit of the Race, went to James Cook. Not only were they 2nd across the finish line, but most of their crew had not sailed before and included several visually impaired young people. Grace, the skipper of James Cook, stepped in to organise the alternative events on Saturday when the round-the-cans race was cancelled. Congratulations from all taking part.

The overall winner of the London to Portland Small Ships Race, winning the beautiful Aurora trophy, was Maybe, based in Hull but with the most international crew, from Australia, South Africa and the US. They also had on board the youngest boy. Well done Maybe!

A full list of results and prizes is here.