Robert Anderson, age 85: We successfully completed our sail on 2nd July 2025 without using engine and learned a lot, much like the old sailing smacks and ships carrying dried fish and stores. It shows you're never too old to learn. I can't believe the amount of interest from throughout Shetland, Orkney, and North Scotland, and can't thank everyone enough for their very generous donations to such a brilliant cause. Thank you to all who have helped me in this endeavor, which has very much been a team effort.

Robert Anderson is planning to embark on a sponsored sail from the Skeld Marina in his 100 year old fishing boat, the Pentland Skerries, which he personally rebuilt from the keel-up during lockdown in Tresta. It will be a historic fishing trip this summer, powered exclusively by sail, and crewed by 4 local men with a combined age of 310 years. All money raised goes directly to the Viking Genes life saving research.

The Viking Genes team has been studying the genetic makeup of Scottish islanders, discovering new insights into the genetic history of the Scottish islands and where their ancestors came from.

In doing so, the team’s research has identified that many of the island populations have their own unique gene pools, revealing that certain disease-causing variants are found more commonly in some island communities than elsewhere in the UK.

Armed with this knowledge, the team works carefully to return results to those individuals who have been identified with a higher risk of developing life-threatening conditions, allowing for earlier intervention and preventative surgeries.

Because of this, several islanders have been treated to remove cancers they didn’t know they had, whilst others have opted for preventative surgery to reduce their risk of developing cancer later in life.

Please support Robert's fundraiser today; your donation will directly support this life saving work.

Thank you.