Thank you for visiting my fund raising page 

I would like to give you a little information about my planned cruise round the UK starting May 2008 and how it came about.

I love being out on the water and the challenge and freedom of sailing. In the past few years I have learnt to sail & now own my own 31ft yacht based at Lymington. I sail regularly & have completed all the RYA courses within the past 4 years, sailing over 4800M including several trips cross channel to France and the Channel Islands with friends.

Other interests include walking in the country, holidays abroad, meals out & at home relaxing with friends & I have recently started Ballroom & Latin dance classes: great fun, beats the gym!  :-)  I am also a licensed radio 'ham' and plan to operate from sea as I make passage around the UK.

Since I started sailing in 2004 my goal has been to sail round the UK, taking my time to visit the ports and harbours along the route.  It is a significant challenge navigating the waters around the UK safely, but I now feel ready to tackle the passage. Visit my on-line blog to see more about my cruise and how I'm progressing. www.roundukcruise.org.uk

I plan to support a few charities that have special significance to me to help ‘spur me on’ and provide a focus to complete the trip that will involve sailing over 3000M with significant planning and organisation.  I will fund all expenses related to the cruise and over 90% of donations will go directly to the charities. (a small admin charge is deducted by the on-line site)

The charities I plan to support are listed on separate pages and full details of the work of the charities will be found there. (click on 'christine marie' tag below to see my other charities and photos of myself & friends who sail with me)

• Marie Curie Nursing Appeal
I have always respected the work of these nurses, helping the terminally ill and their families.
• Rethink (Formally National Schizophrenia Fellowship)
I lost my daughter at the age of 18 to this mental illness. It has a terrible impact on the individual and their families. NSF helped me through a difficult period in my life
• RNLI    I support 'lifeboats' whose RNLI volunteers put their own lives at risk saving others at sea.  I hope I never have to call on them in an emergency, but knowing they are there is re-assuring.

Please sponsor me and select the charity of your choice or divide your donation between them.  You could also sponsor per mile that I sail by sending me an email. 2500M = £25 at 1p/Mile.  You then pay later, through this site, when I complete sections of the passage.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Marie Curie Cancer Care will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now! 

Many thanks for your support, to my family, friends, sailing crew and RYA training instructor at Moonfleet Sailing without whose help this adventure would not be possible.

Ray

PS I will be looking for crew to join me at various legs of the passage.  Please contact me if you are interested in sailing.