- Press Release - Lord Nelson, a very special tall ship owned by Southampton based charity Jubilee Sailing Trust, left London today heading straight for Jersey.
The ship is set to arrive on May 1st, just in time for the start of the Jersey Boat show, where she will take pride of place. During the show Lord Nelson will be open to members of the public who will be able to take tours of one of only two tall ships in the world that has been designed and built to enable able bodied and disabled people to work side by side as equals.
The tours, which will take place between 10 am-5pm on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd and 10-1pm on Monday 3rd, will allow members of the public to see all of the facilities that help to make the ship an inclusive environment for people of all ages, abilities and levels of sailing experience.
The ship is built with wider decks than usual, a speaking compass, wheelchair lifts between deck levels, brail signs and a hearing loop on board all of which help everyone who sails to take part in all the activities involved in tall ship sailing.
Joyce Crockford from Lower Earley will be on board Lord Nelson as she arrives in Jersey. The grandmother has overcome a life threatening illness, which she contracted in hospital 3 years ago and is now raring to go for her sailing adventure.
She said: “I’m very excited. I’m looking forward to the new experiences, the sun rises and sunsets and meeting lots of other like-minded people.”
She’ll join a crew of 27 other amateurs of all abilities on board the Lord Nelson on Thursday 22nd April and will spend 10 days participating in watches (helming the ship, keeping look out and taking readings), mess duty (helping in the galley) and happy hour (cleaning the ship each day) as well as getting the chance to experience the Titanic moment out on the bow sprit and even climb the rigging up to 110ft from deck level.
When the crew arrive in Jersey they’ll have a chance to look around the Boat Show before changing places with a new crew who’ll be travelling back to Portland
Press are invited to come on board during the Boat Show to have a look around and speak to members of the permanent crew, who are employed by Jubilee Sailing Trust to make sure the paying crew members get a life changing experience.