Dear All

I have dug deep in my address book plucking names and email addresses going back to Cambridge days, The Leys, RAC, Osea, David Cole, farming, Sedgeford, Worth and Dorset, RHS, Essex etc; you name it I’ve retrieved it and that’s why you are on the current list. I write as I’m running the Brighton Marathon in just over a month to raise money for The Cirdan Sailing Trust who are in need of a new minibus.

I’ve been involved with the charity for almost 40 years and am a passionate believer in what the small team achieve with the youngsters they help out, and as Chairman of the trustees thought I ought to set an example.

Cirdan helps young people by immersing them in sailing voyages, creating a life-changing event away from home to develop life skills.

Participants come from a variety of backgrounds and include SEN schools, young carers, homeless, neurodiverse, home schooled, early intervention in psychosis service users, youth justice services and people from low income and deprived areas of the UK. Most of Cirdan’s voyages are subsidised through their Voyage of Discovery Fund which offers financial support where it is needed to make the experience affordable for groups.

John Gross Motors are sourcing a minibus at a very advantageous cost and I am much indebted to them but I still need to raise £35000. Incidentally, I ran the London Marathon (post run picture on Duet) for our last vehicle which they also supplied, £18000 in those days.

I know it is a huge and ridiculous amount but I need to get it so please, please help and send me on my way round Brighton.

Please visit this link to the charity’s website: https://www.cirdantrust.org/latest-1 and view the latest news section, which includes their latest newsletter. In the header there are more tabs for information about the organisation.

If you have access to a trust fund or similar I’d be thrilled if you could obtain additional support through them or other individuals who share my enthusiasm for sailing and helping disadvantaged youth.