Catherine Peggie
Murdoch's Circle of Life - Round UK Sailing Voyage
Fundraising for Mental Health UK
Story
I'm setting out on 1900 miles solo voyage on my 23ft yacht Artemis which will see me circumnavigate the the UK including the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland. While it will be a truly amazing sailing adventure for me, more importantly I am raising funds and awareness of mental health issues for the charity Mental Health UK.
The pandemic has so powerfully illustrated that no matter our age, no matter our social social status, whether we are a barrister, a bus driver or bouncer we are all equally vulnerable to suffer mental health issues and tragically our younger population has also been affected.
My younger brother Jim died just over two years ago after living most of his adult life with mental health problems. Thankfully the awareness of mental health issues has nowadays been recognised as being so important. It hadn't always been the case.
Let me tell me a little about myself as a sailor. I set off on my voyage on 5th June only 3 weeks after my 82nd birthday. Despite that big number I have never been a life-long sailor only getting in to my first sail boat at 72. I have in that time though sailed extensively throughout our Scottish waters including our Northern Isles. I've been over the North Sea and the Baltic sea as far east as Poland. My last voyage pre Covid-19 was from Scotland to London . After de-masting l travelled the length of Upper Thames to Oxford.
I'm giving my Mental Health UK voyage my best shot, please give generously !
And of course you are welcome to recommend my efforts to as many friends as you wish 😀 It all helps.
Sincerely,
Murdoch McGregor
Alloa, Scotland.