Children’s Support Services spent several days aboard earlier in the month. Run by Essex County Council, the primary objective of the Children’s Support Service is to provide individual support to vulnerable students in Essex and to ensure they have access to a high quality of education.

Here’s a photographic record of their time aboard.

Rebuilt langoustinier Michel & Patrick has sailed between Fecamp and Tilbury to deliver wine. Sea-Change’s Richard Titchener joins to pilot her upriver to St Katharine Docks and unload some more.

Our friends at TransOceanic Wind Transport share our aim of re introducing freight transport by sail and we are pleased to support them.

A number of photos record her passage up river, click here

Many congratulations to David Snelson, chairman of our Appeal Patrons, on his appointment as an Elder Brother of Trinity House.

Following a successful career in the Royal Navy he became Chief Harbour Master for the Port of London Authority. David is not letting retirement slow him down however as he has accepted a number of influential positions in the maritime industry.

Sea-Change is highly appreciative of his work raising funds for our new Thames sailing barge.

We are delighted to announce that Alderman Peter Hewitt JP is to join our ranks as an Appeal Patron.

He is a serial entrepreneur, chairman of a number of companies and an Alderman in the City of London.

You may have met him already at our recent Open House at St Katherine Docks when he launched the proceedings.

Sailing barge course info

Information pack for youth groups

Information pack for adult groups

Risk assessment

Youth Services from Cottenham and Swavesey in Cambridgeshire sailed with us on a five day trip aboard SB Reminder out of Maldon this month.

Here is a photographic record of their time aboard.

Writer and sailor Nick Ardley maintains an informative blog about his sailing travels around the east coast aboard his Finesse 24 Whimbrel.

He has written a perceptive piece about our recent Open House, which is on his website at www.nickardley.com It sums up our objectives rather well.

Another blogger of repute, Richard London Traveller, also attended and his excellent take on the event is available here.

Yesterday, Sea-Change supporter Bill Wright completed the 2013 Virgin London Marathon and raised a considerable sum of money for Sea-Change.

Very well done Bill and thank you.

Here he is on the Embankment just two miles from the finish, a sterling effort. Conditions were perfect and the crowds of supporters was immense, a great day.

It isn’t too late to celebrate his achievement as you can still make a donation to him here. Sea-Change relies entirely on fund raising to work with its target groups, whilst ensuring that no-one is excluded from the benefits it offers on financial grounds.

On Monday evening Sea-Change held a highly successful fundraising reception at St Katharine Docks in London aboard SB Lady Daphne, which was very kindly made available to us for the occasion by Elizabeth and Michael Mainelli.

100 invited guests including city luminaries and the High Sheriff of Essex, Mrs Julia Abel Smith enjoyed a rousing presentation by writer, broadcaster and sailor Tom Cunliffe. He was entertainingly introduced by City Alderman Peter Hewitt, also a sailor.

In addition to learning about the work Sea-Change undertakes, the outcomes gained by participants and why we need our own vessel, guests were also gripped to learn how much horse manure was taken away from London by sailing barge in the nineteenth century and the concessions still made to Thames barges on the river today, as a consequence of their vital work feeding the city during the Great Plague and more recently the World Wars.

A big thank you to all who attended. Our new sailing barge is getting ever closer and we are very grateful to everyone who makes a charitable donation to us.

Gerry Courtney, chairperson of  the Maldon Town Regatta hands a cheque to Sea-Change trainees Dean, Anna and Robyn before they embark on the first passage of the new season.

This generous donation will go towards the charity’s bursary scheme, which ensures that no one is precluded from sailing on financial grounds.

Sea-Change exists to offer those who sail with us the benefit of ongoing care for lifelong gain, so thank you Maldon for helping to make it possible.

This year’s regatta is on Saturday 21st September, more here.

In 2013 Sea-Change will offer a course for aspiring barge crew using SB Cambria. The purpose is to offer intensive sailing and seamanship experience in a short period, which would otherwise take a considerable number of standard passages made up of deliveries or charters and is intended to supplement other experience.

It will take place over two weeks in August and September and include periods of study, demonstration and practice led by qualified instructors.

Full details on our new Sailing Barge Course page.