As a professional storyteller I have a head full of stories but I have no head for heights - so I never thought I could climb the mast of a tall ship...let alone stay to tell a tale beyond the futtock shroud!

As a rookie sailor in 2017 I joined the volunteer crew on the Tall ship 'Tenacious' sailing with the Jubilee Sailing Trust . With a help of their dedicated professional crew I did make it up the mast and alongside a captive audience of crew-mates I decided that a story of courage and tenacity was called for! I was so inspired by the work of the JST that I decided to sign up as volunteer crew to sail in their sister ship The Lord Nelson up the coast of Norway this summer.

Not many folk know this but Norway's most famous poet was born in my adoptive town of Leith, Scotland. I'm raising funds for this voyage as a research trip to learn more stories and make fast the maritime links between Norway and Newhaven and Leith and Lillesand with the challenge of telling tales on 10 tall ships as I go!

Sailing the seas of opportunity 2020 is designated 'The Year of Scottish Coasts and Waters' and 2022 is 'The Year of the Story' so with your sponsorship I want to make sure that our mutual maritime heritage is celebrated with true stories of tenacious sailors who dared to go as far as they could and then one step further!

I believe stories can change lives and sailing with the JST certainly changed mine; I have since worked with a range of youth and mixed ability groups telling Tenacious Tales of Tall Ships so please sponsor me to find new stories in Norway and 10 Tall ships on which to tell these tales so we can spread the joy of stories and the sea.