Over the next couple of months we need to raise £50,000 to enhance and upgrade Wales' Tall Ship - Challenge Wales. By investing in improvements, we can continue to support young people across Wales and the UK to steer towards a brighter future and reach their potential.
Challenge Wales activities are transformational, giving young people an opportunity to develop employability skills, improve resilience, improve self-confidence, improve teamwork and communication skills while in a safe and fun learning environnment...at sea.
Our activities are evidenced to improve mental health, and provide a pathway into the marine industry whether it is a first step on the ladder, learning about environmental stewardship and ocean literacy or bringing STEM subjects to life. But young lives don't change unless our team of amazing volunteers are there. A dedicated group of people who ensure young people get the best out of their voyage and out of themselves but are also there helping to get the boat ship-shape through maintenance activities. Why don't you read some of our case studies here.
Where funding from Trusts and Foundations is becoming extremely limited due to many other charities 'fighting' for the same pot of money and not enough funding to go around, we need to look wider at how we bring much needed funds into the charity, and do this continuously throughout the year. But this year due to the cost-of-living crisis we need financial support more than ever. Not only will it help our future sustainability as an organisation but with the majority of young people needing bursaries to jump onboard, we continue to rely on Trusts for bursary support for our young people.
Young people who have sailed on Challenge Wales over the last 15 years have come from a diverse range of backgrounds; from young carers to those that are homeless, to those who have lost focus in life to those who have are in the care system, to those who are unemployed or suffering from mental health issues to those who want to try an adventure, to those who have faced inequalities to those who need help finding a career or purpose. We've been there for them, so can you be here for us now and help us with a donation.
One young person, with complex issues, needs and many social barriers, really did have an amazing experience. Being amongst a group of young people away from the family home and having to fend for himself was huge. This young person struggles to eat in front of people, struggles to engage to make conversation and at times lacks motivation. However, while on board he ate an evening meal with everybody, became competent and confident in taking the helm and navigated past other big ships in the channel passing us. He cooked breakfast with his peers at 7.30 in the morning and climbed the mast. This young person really did shine through, and I know that he was so proud of all that he achieved during this short voyage.
Read about our impact and how we have been changing lives for 15 years.
* Lift Out and scrubbing & painting the bottom of our boat: This helps keep Challenge Wales ship shape and is vital for safety and longevity. Lifting out Challenge Wales is no easy feat and we need to store her on land in the boat yard.
* Life Jacket and Life Raft servicing: Safety is crucial onboard a sail training vessel and all our safety equipment gets replaced after time or if they get damaged during the season
* VHF Radio System: We need to replace our current system which is vital for communication and safety during sailing
* Radar: Our radar is almost 20 years old and now needs replacing. It enables us to safely navigate in low visibility conditions
* Marine Computers / navigation displays and onboard systems: Over the years our computers and systems which provide information to help us navigate safely start to feel their age. These systems help us understand the boat speed, boat depth and wind and computers also help us bring our below deck space to life as an interactive classroom.
* Refit Bits and Bobs: There are lots of other things that we need during maintenance activities with Challenge Wales. From hiring scaffolding ladders to masking tape! We always need specialist tradespeople to help us look after Challenge Wales and do the jobs that our volunteers are not trained to do, from welding to carpentry and more. But we also need tools for volunteers to help them do some of the tasks including paintbrushes, PPE and then we need anti-fouling paint....and lots of it.
* Core Costs: These costs are essential for our operations, enabling us to manage and carry out our work effectively. These costs include contributions towards insurance, mooring fees, electricity, stationery, and office expenses. Without covering these costs during our maintenance and refit periods, our ability to perform necessary work would be significantly impacted. Unfortunately, very few funders cover core costs, which can cause financial strain for charities. However, covering these costs is crucial for our sustainability and success.
* Compass: We always need to know if we are coming or going and our compass will certainly help point us in the right direction. Our current compass is damaged and will need replacing.
Should we raise more or less of the funding we require for our upgrade, then at the Trustees discretion the charity will use the funds as they see fit in the best interests of Challenge Wales to achieve our charitable mission.
We've been there for young people over the last 15 years - can you be here for us to help us fundraise?
* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.
