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'08 CLIPPER WINNERS BEGIN YACHT TRAINING
A teacher is to take her first steps to emulate Dame Ellen MacArthur and compete in a round the world yacht race. Claire Daley, 24, is one of 3 nautical novices who won a free place offered by Liverpool city council to race in the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race. But unlike MacArthur, Claire who teaches Maths at St Edwards College, West Derby, has never sailed before! Claire will get her first taste of life on the ocean waves Friday, April 15, when she sets sail from Portsmouth on a week-long sailing course to prepare for her adventure aboard the Liverpool '08 Clipper - a newly created 68-foot yacht promoting Liverpool as European Capital of Culture, 2008.
She will be joined by fellow winner Peter Mulcahy, Head of Emergency Planning at Mersey Regional Ambulance NHS Trust, and said the reality of it all is only now beginning to sink in.
Claire said:- ''I'm really nervous. The weather doesn't look good this weekend and I know for three of the nights we'll be sailing. And this week I'll be the pupil. It'll be like the first day at school all over again. The kids at schools have been a big help and really excited for me. They've been cutting out my picture in the paper and putting it on the wall and pulling me leg about making sure I don't fall overboard. To be honest its been good fun, but I was reading the manual the other day and I didn't recognise half the terms and it just struck me - my god, I'm going sailing.''
But the Garston teacher says she has already begun her preparations.
Claire added:- ''I've started a fitness regime, I'm watching as many yachting programmes on TV as I can and I've stopped using a hair dryer because the Clipper ocean racers don't have them on board.''
And the complete beginner can see a light on the horizon. Her final training session in August will see her sail the Liverpool '08 Clipper, leading the rest of the fleet, into the Mersey in early September for the start of the build up to the race start on Sunday, September 18.
Claire, who will race in Leg 1 from Liverpool to Salvador, Brazil, said:-
''I'm really looking forward to that. Sailing up the Mersey as a sailor. And then the race start itself in front of my family and thousands of other people. That gives me tingles. It's why I entered the competition and so happy and privileged to be chosen.''
Claire and Peter, who sails on leg from China to Canada, as well as the final winner David Dowling, who sails on the final leg from the Caribbean to Liverpool in July 2006, were chosen from a shortlist of twelve from more than 200 applications.
The '08 Clipper competition is part of a pledge by the city council and Liverpool Culture Company to involve people in maritime events during Sea Liverpool 2005. As part of the Sea Liverpool 2005 pledge, the city council is also supporting a website based educational programme for children to track the progress of the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race.
Councillor Tina Gould, Assistant Executive Member for Culture, said:- ''This will be a momentous week for Claire and Peter. They will be on a huge learning curve. I'm sure they will be going through many emotions but they will make great sailors and equally good ambassadors for the city. Preparations for the race and the education programme are going brilliantly and I think we will have package that will make a huge impact on the city and our schools.''
The Sea Liverpool pledge also recorded it most notable success recently at Easter half-term with the offer of a free week of sailing and canoeing at the city's Watersports. A record-breaking 447 kids took part in the fun, meaning that more than 92% of the tuition on offer was snapped up. In addition, twenty new members joined the centre, doubling the monthly target of 10.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, founder of Clipper Ventures plc and Sea Liverpool 2005 Patron, said:- ''I'm thrilled to see that the Sea Liverpool pledge is taking shape and helping to open up life changing opportunities for the people of the city. I'm proud that Clipper is part of that be it teaching people like Claire, David and Peter or through the schools. We're delighted to have the city of Liverpool on board with Clipper's World Classroom, an online resource designed to engage the children of each competing city as they follow their respective yachts and teams around the world."
The Liverpool '08 Clipper will be competing in a 10-strong fleet sailing around the world, each with international teams of 17 crew and a professional skipper. The race start on Sunday, September 18 will be one of the highlights of the city's Capital of Culture themed year - Sea Liverpool 2005.
During the year the city will stage more than 1,000 nautical events including the silver jubilee of the Mersey River Festival in June - the UK's biggest free maritime festival.
This year's Capital of Culture theme is part of SeaBritain 2005, a national celebration of Britain's maritime heritage based on the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in October.
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Letters to Editor:-
"Redeem, Tsunami Recycling Appeal."
DEAR Southport Reporter,
"On behalf of Redeem, the mobile phone and printer cartridge recycling company, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has given their support to our recent Tsunami Recycling Appeal.
Your readers have helped us to raise over £5,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee's Tsunami Earthquake Appeal. Those who donated were one of over 100 companies and more than 1,900 individuals who helped out the appeal.
We asked the public to send us their old mobile phones and empty printer cartridges to be recycled - and in return we pledged to give money to the DEC. We are delighted with the response so far, with our total currently standing at £4,300 - and as a company deeply committed to its charity work, we have contributed a further £700.
This money will go to areas affected by the disaster via the DEC's member agencies, with the DEC ensuring it reaches those who need it most.
The Disasters Emergency Committee is appealing for outstanding donations to be banked, so if you requested a freepost bag to donate a mobile or cartridge, please endeavour to return it as soon as possible.
Although the Tsunami Recycling Appeal is coming to a close, there's still plenty of opportunity to help charity and the environment through recycling. Why not recycle to raise funds for one of our other partner charities? Many of the UK's charities felt an impact on their funds when public attention was diverted to the tsunami disaster - so now's your chance to help them out.
Our partners include Marie Curie Cancer Care, Royal National Institute of the Blind, Children's Hospice Association Scotland, Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, Northern Ireland Hospice Care and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Whether you want to make a one-off mobile phone or cartridge donation, or you want to make regular donations from your workplace (which we collect free), we'd be delighted to hear from you. All you have to do is visit www.recyclingappeal.com and choose a charity, or call 08712 50 50 50.
Thanks once again for your support.
Kindest regards, Rob Morton, Corporate Responsibility Executive, Redeem
Plc."
AMIR KHAN LAUNCHES THE NEW 'STOP AND GO' FUNDRAISING CHALLENGE
OLYMIPIC silver medallist, Amir Khan, is challenging people in Southport to get involved in Stop and Go, the new fundraising initiative from the NSPCC. This spring the NSPCC is asking people to STOP and think about child abuse and GO fundraising to make a difference to children suffering abuse or neglect.
Amir Khan said:- "I'm supporting the NSPCC's Stop and Go fundraising initiative because I believe passionately in the NSPCC's FULL STOP Campaign to end cruelty to children. We all only get one childhood. I was lucky that mine was so warm and happy, and that I got the opportunity to fulfil my potential. I know that, sadly, many children have bleak, sad lives, blighted by neglect and abuse. The NSPCC is trying to make a difference to the lives of children who suffer such abuse, but they rely on funds from the public to carry out this vital and terribly important work.
We all need to do whatever we can to help and I would urge people in Southport to support Stop and Go. Whatever you do, do something. It could be a small fundraising event, a bring and buy sale or a coffee morning, or you could think big! But the message is that people should play a part in the battle to Stop child abuse and Go fundraising for the NSPCC."
Everyone can do something to help children as part of Stop and Go. There are Stop and Go fundraising packs available to give people ideas or support those with their own imaginative activities.
In an ideal world, there would be no need for the NSPCC. But sadly every week at least one child dies as a direct result of abuse or neglect, more then 30,000 children are on the child protection register because they at risk of abuse and one in four of all recorded rape victims are children.
Amir doesn't just pay lip service to his commitment to children. He has completed a child protection course and has helped out at an after school club, where he was trained to look out for signs of abuse.
Steve Morton, NSPCC head of community appeals for the North West, said:- "The NSPCC wants to see a society where no child lives under the shadow of abuse. By joining a team of STOP and GO fundraisers, people can help support the work of the NSPCC. Every penny your Stop and Go fundraising event raises will be spent wisely to help children suffering from abuse or neglect."
To get involved in Stop and Go and organise your own fundraising event please contact the NSPCC fundraising support team on 0161 628 1209.
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