130 delegates from 28 different Sail Training organisations attended the 4th annual UK Sail Training conference in Southampton on Friday. A short round-up of the conference with a summary of the presentations has been uploaded in the 'Events' section of this website.
Read more: 4th annual UK Sail Training conference judged a success
ASTO are delighted to announce that for the second year, Topsail Insurance have agreed to sponsor the UK Sail Training Conference.
Topsail Insurance are an independent marine insurance specialist, providing a wide range of worldwide boat and yacht insurance products to the marine community. They also specialise in Sail Training travel insurance and provide bespoke policies for trainees sailing with the Tall Ships Youth Trust and Jubilee Sailing Trust.
Topsail Insurance's Managing Director, Robert Stevens, will be at the conference to answer delegates' questions about insurance and show his support for Sail Training in the UK.
Conference booking is available now.
Robbie Crow, who sails as watchleader with OYT Scotland and has recently become one of their trustees, has been elected as Vice Chairman of the Sail Training International Youth Council. He also represented UK Sail Training at the recent STI conference in Riga, and took part in the International Exchange to Canada organised by ASTO and the James Myatt Trust. Thank you to Sally at STI for the full story, which you can read here.
Sail Trainers in the UK were recognised with several international awards at the Sail Training International conference that took place in Riga at the weekend. Grace Metcalfe, Skipper of the OYT North's 'James Cook' for several years, was honoured with the award for young Sail Trainer of the Year, 
awarded to a professional Sail Trainer to encourage and recognise high-performing individuals who deliver the Sail Training programme for young people at sea. Grace started out as a sail trainee herself and has worked her way up the ladder to give young people the same life-changing experience.
The Jubilee Sailing Trust and their ship Lord Nelson were awarded the Great Loyalty Trophy, awarded to the vessel which has shown great loyalty to the Tall Ships Races. Lord Nelson were recognised for their involvement both initially as a communications vessel, and then as a participant in the races for manyyears. Lord Nelson is currently on the first leg of a round-the-world voyage but her sistership Tenacious will be taking part in the 2013 Tall Ships Race in her stead.
Robbie Crow, UK representative on the STI Youth Council and watchleader with OYT Scotland, was voted in as vice chairman for the Youth Council and will be working with other international Sail Trainers on ways to get more young people involved.
Congratulations from all at ASTO for these well deserved awards. (Photo's courtesy of Sail Training International)
The Government's Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has praised the CatZero project which is helping local young people into work.
Recently reported in the Grimsby Telegraph, CatZero is a unique training scheme that includes sailing on a 72ft ocean racing yacht and recently saw 14 people aged between 16 and 24 successfully graduate with all members getting jobs or going on to further education. Read the full story
