Unique tallship due to arrive in Durban on ground breaking global voyage with disabled andable-bodied crew
A unique tall ship, sailed by disabledand able bodied people on a ground breaking voyage around the world, is due toarrive in Durban tomorrow morning (Tuesday 26 February 2013). The LordNelson, a 55-metre square rigger, is arriving from Cape Town as part of theNorton Rose Sail the World Challenge, a 50,000-mile journey designed to promoteequality and inclusion in every port of call.
The voyage isorganised by UK charity, the Jubilee Sailing Trust, and is supported byinternational legal practice, Norton Rose, which has five of its 42 offices inAfrica, including Durban. The ship has been designed and built to allow disabledand able bodied crew to sail alongside each other as equals.
Hoping to meetthe ship as she docks in Durban at approximately 1200 noon local time (1000 GMT)on Tuesday, is Thokozani Mthoko "Deajay" Latha, a graduate of the Durban-basedSail Africa youth development programme. Deajay will join the ship as a memberof the voyage crew for the next leg of her journey to Kochi, India, along withWandisile 'Wadi" Xayimpi, who willrepresent Cape Town based charity Izivunguvungu. Jubilee Sailing Trust hasinvited the young South African sailors to take part in the voyage in order tosupport the development work of the two charities, which use sailing to helpyoungsters to develop their confidence and self-esteem.
The Lord Nelson will beberthed at O Shed, next to the N Shed passenger terminal for the duration of thestopover in Kwa-Zulu Natal, until she sets sail for Kochi on Sunday 3March.
Among thosearriving in Durban on board the ship are a number of South Africans, includingMandy Latimore, 52, from Johannesburg. Mandy, a self-confessed adrenalinejunkie, who is a wheelchair user following a climbing accident but that has notdulled her desire to reach new heights.
"The thing I’mlooking forward to the most is being on the highest point possible on LordNelson," said the independent consultant in the disability sector as sheprepared to set sail from Cape Town to round the Cape of Good Hope on 16February.
TheJubilee Sailing Trust’s CEO, Alex Lochrane, said, "Following our hugelysuccessful stopover in Cape Town and a brief call at Port Elizabeth, CaptainChris Phillips and the crew of the Lord Nelson are very much lookingforward to their visit to Durban. We are also delighted to be able to welcometwo South African development sailors from Sail Africa in Durban andIzivunguvungu in Cape Town on board for the next stage of the Norton Rose Sailthe World Challenge.
"The JubileeSailing Trust’s mission is one of inclusion, community and teamwork and, withoutthis, Lord Nelson would never be able to make this amazing oceanjourney," adds Lochrane.
Over thecourse of the 23-month voyage, the Lord Nelson will make four Equatorcrossings, log 50,000 nautical miles and visit 30 countries on seven continents.The journey is unique, due to the people who make up the voyage crew: all ofthem have stepped out of their everyday lives to participate, all of themrefusing to be limited by disability or self-imposed comfort zones to becomepart of a round the world crew.
Berths arestill available to sail on board Lord Nelson during the Norton Rose Sailthe World Challenge. No experience is required and a wide range of physicaldisabilities can be accommodated. Among the bespoke features of the ship arehearing loops, wheelchair lifts, integrated Braille instructions and speakingcompasses. For more information visit www.jst.org.uk or email info@jst.org.uk.
Sponsor NortonRose, which has an office in Durban, is supporting this unique global voyageunder their banner of "All abilities. All aboard."
ENDS//
Notes toeditors
Key datesfor Lord Nelson’s inaugural visit to Durban
Tuesday 26February LordNelson arrives inDurban. Berthing at O-Shed, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Durban,KZN. Pilot scheduled to board at 1100 local and Lord Nelson due to comealongside at approximately 1200 noon local.
Sunday 3March (1400 local time): Lord Nelson departs Durban forKochi, India.
To book interviews, to request hi-resimages and for more media information contact:
AnnaWardley, media & public relations, Jubilee Sailing Trust
UK cell phone:+44 (0)7793 417754
anna.wardley@seagrasscommunications.com
CandiceCollins, communications specialist, Norton Rose South Africa (incorporated as Deneys ReitzInc)
Tel: +27 (0)11685 8630
Email: Candice.Collins@nortonrose.com
The NortonRose Sail the World Challenge
During herinaugural 23-month circumnavigation of the world, the 55-metre square rigger,Lord Nelson, will log four Equator crossings and visit 30 countries onseven continents. More than 1,000 people will have the opportunity to sail onthe vessel during this 50,000-mile voyage. It is the first time that anaccessible square-rigged sailing ship has undertaken such a journey crewed bydisabled sailors alongside their able-bodied peers.
www.jst.org.uk/sail-the-world.aspx
The NortonRose Sail the World Challenge route: Southampton (UK), Rio de Janeiro(Brazil), Cape Town (South Africa), Durban (South Africa), Kochi (India),Singapore, Fremantle (Australia), Melbourne (Australia), Hobart (Australia),Sydney (Australia), Auckland (New Zealand), Wellington (New Zealand), Nelson(New Zealand), Auckland (New Zealand), Ushuaia (Argentina), Antarctica, BuenosAires (Argentina), Recife (Brazil), Halifax (Canada), Southampton(UK).
LordNelson
The JubileeSailing Trust’s tall ship, Lord Nelson, was designed to enable physicallydisabled people, including wheelchair users, to sail alongside theirnon-disabled peers as equals. Lord Nelson was built in the UK and firstset sail in 1986. Since then she has been changing the lives of everybody whosails on her.
JubileeSailing Trust
The JubileeSailing Trust was founded in 1978 and was the brainchild of Christopher Rudd, ateacher and sailor who wanted to give his disabled pupils the same opportunitiesas able-bodied children. Starting with two non-adapted vessels, the charity grewand Lord Nelson, a custom built ship which can be sailed by a crew of 40,was commissioned. Since her maiden voyage in 1986, more than 10,000 people witha physical disability, including almost 4,000 wheelchair users, have sailedaboard Lord Nelson.
The JubileeSailing Trust also owns and operates a second tall ship,Tenacious. She is currently operating voyages inEurope.
www.jst.org.uk
Norton Rose
Norton Rose is a leading international legal practice offering a fullbusiness law service to many of the world’s pre-eminent financial institutionsand corporations from offices in Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, Africa, theMiddle East, Latin America and Central Asia. Knowing how their clients’businesses work and understanding what drives their industries is fundamental toNorton Rose.
Norton Rose lawyers share industry knowledge and sectorexpertise across borders, enabling them to support their clients anywhere in theworld. They are strong in financial institutions; energy; infrastructure, miningand commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and pharmaceuticals andlife sciences.
Norton Rose has more than 2,900 lawyers operating fromoffices in Abu Dhabi, Almaty, Amsterdam, Athens, Bahrain, Bangkok, Beijing,Bogotá, Brisbane, Brussels, Calgary, Canberra, Cape Town, Caracas, Casablanca,Dar es Salaam, Dubai, Durban, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Johannesburg,London, Melbourne, Milan, Montréal, Moscow, Munich, Ottawa, Paris, Perth,Piraeus, Prague, Québec, Rome, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto andWarsaw; and its associate office in Jakarta.
From 1 June, 2013 Norton Rose will join forces with leading U.S. lawfirm Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. to create Norton Rose Fulbright. They willalso have offices in Austin, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis,New York, Pittsburgh-Southpointe, Riyadh, San Antonio, St Louis and Washington,D.C. With 3,800 lawyers, Norton Rose Fulbright will be one of the largest globallegal practices, with significant depth of expertise in the world’s leadingbusiness and financial centres.
Norton Rose is the business name for the international legal practicethat comprises Norton Rose LLP, Norton Rose Australia, Norton Rose Canada LLPand Norton Rose South Africa (incorporated as Deneys Reitz Inc) and theirrespective affiliates. www.nortonrose.com