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  • our-heritage
  1. About us
  2. Our Heritage

Our Heritage

We are the UK’s oldest and largest sail training charity, having sailed over two million nautical miles with over 117,000 trainees in the past 60 years.

We continue to dedicate ourselves to enabling young people, aged 12 to 25, to fulfil their life potential through adventures at sea.

1956 - It all began!

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The Tall Ships Youth Trust (then called the Sail Training Association) was founded to run the Tall Ships Races.

Published: 23rd July, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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Today

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Our aims remain the same as they always have been - to support the personal development of young people from all walks of life through the crewing of ocean going vessels. All the yachts in our fleet sail all year round offering a broad range of voyages from day sails to transatlantic crossings, there’s something for everyone. 

Having recently sold the two Brigs, we are now turning towards the future and making plans to increase out sea-going capacity yet further.

Published: 24th July, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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2017 – Goodbye Stavros

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We waved goodbye to the Brig, Stavros S. Niarchos to improve our financial stability and focus on supporting as many young people as possible with our fleet.

Published: 24th July, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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2014 – The Tall Ships Ketch

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Tenacity of Bolton, a 55ft Ketch, was built by Bolton School and gifted to us to provide the perfect sail training environment for young people.

Published: 24th July, 2018

Updated: 15th August, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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2009 – The Tall Ships Cat

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A very generous benefactor donated the Tall Ships Cat, a 62ft Catamaran. This allowed us to reduce the lower age limit to 12 and offer more opportunities for disabled people to come along.

Published: 24th July, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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2008 – The Challengers

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We said a fond farewell to Prince William and welcomed four 72ft round the world racing yachts to the fleet. This enabled up to diversify, attract a new audience and expand our work with young people.

Published: 24th July, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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2003 – Tall Ships Youth Trust

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At an AGM on the 1st August 2003, Members of the Sail Training Association voted overwhelmingly to adopt a new name for the charity - Tall Ships Youth Trust. It was felt that the new name would better describe the charity’s work to external audiences and help to raise more funds as a result.

Published: 24th July, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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2001 - The Second Brig

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Having waved goodbye to the Schooners the year before, we celebrated their long and valuable service at a huge ‘Farewell to the Schooners’ party. Later in the year,  a second Brig was commissioned and the name ‘Prince William’ was announced as she sailed up the Thames on St George’s day before arriving in London for her first reception.

Published: 24th July, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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2000 – Schooners leave and make way for the Brigs

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We said goodbye to the Sir Winston Churchill and Malcolm Miller as they completed their final voyage with the Trust. Due to the success of the Schooners, two new Brigs were commissioned and, at the turn of the millennium, one arrived in the shape of the 60 metre Stavros S. Niarchos.

Published: 24th July, 2018

Updated: 14th October, 2020

Author: Calum Lennox

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1968 – 2000 – The Schooners at Sea

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The two Schooners sailed the globe offering thousands of young people the experience of a lifetime and attracting admiring glances from ports near and far, supporting over 40,000 young people

Published: 24th July, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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1968 – The Malcom Miller: the second Schooner

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The Malcolm Miller, Sir Winston Churchill’s sister ship, was launched after the Daily Express led a huge national campaign to raise the funds needed to build her.

Published: 24th July, 2018

Updated: 15th August, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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1966 - The Sir Winston Churchill: the first Schooner

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The Sir Winston Churchill, a 37 meter schooner, was launched after a group of young people sailed across the Atlantic as part of the Tall Ships Race and were determined Great Britain should have their own Tall Ship.

Published: 24th July, 2018

Author: Calum Lennox

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    Challenger

    Our four 72ft Challenger Yachts were built in 2000 and have all raced around the world several times backwards (against the prevailing winds and tides).

  • Bursaries

    Bursaries

    Our Bursary Programme offers financial support to help ensure that any young person that would benefit from our work can.

  • Group bookings

    Group bookings

    We can accommodate groups from 8 up to 48 including Special Needs

  • More about Youth Crew

    More about Youth Crew

    We break down barriers for 12 to 25-year-olds through exhilarating and challenging adventures

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  • Brochure

    Brochure

    Take a look at our brochure for details of of our 2017/2018 voyage programme.

  • Life on board

    Life on board

    A Tall Ships voyage is a unique hands-on experience. You will become an important part of the crew and this involves more than just the sailing.

  • The difference we make

    The difference we make

    Our vision is of a society where the exclusion of young people and lack of opportunities to them are things of the past. We are doing everything we can to make this vision a reality.

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Tall Ships Youth Trust is a company limited by guarantee registered in England No. 567460. Charity number 314229

Registered office: 2A The Hard, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 3PT. Telephone: 02392 832055 © Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.

Tall Ships

COVID-19 - TALL SHIPS OPERATIONAL STATEMENT. We still need your help to navigate our way into calmer waters and beyond.