TENACIOUS, the Jubilee Sailing Trust’s tall ship, has returned to Jersey’s waters after a wave of donations enabled the charity to restart its voyage programme.
Having been hit hard by the Covid pandemic, the JST, which has strong links to the Island, has launched a major fundraising campaign to reach £1.2 million by September.
Prompted by former Senator Jean Le Maistre, the States of Jersey helped to build Tenacious – currently the only sea-going tall ship in the world that can be sailed by a mixed-ability crew, including disabled people, those with mental-health conditions, long-term health issues and the socially isolated – in the late 1990s, donating £350,000 to pay for its masts and spars.
Chair of the charity, Charles Humpleby, said it was just a few thousand pounds from its preliminary target of £500,000 and had been able to restart its voyage programme, which would help to raise ‘vital’ funds.
He said: ‘We have nearly cleared our first hurdle. We have quite a few people who have said they will come on board at £500,000 so by hitting that initial target, we will effectively be opening doors that will help us get to £1.2 million.
‘We now have the voyage programme scheduled for the rest of 2022. Jersey is our first real trip this year outside the UK. The Jersey branch has been a major part of the Jubilee Sailing Trust for decades. We have had an immense amount of support and we need to continue with our momentum.’
