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10th October 2011

Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust Celebrates Busiest Year

Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust Celebrates Busiest Year
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust – the charity which aims to rebuild the confidence of young people who have suffered from cancer or leukaemia through sailing - is celebrating its busiest ever year after taking a record 302 young people on 14 life-changing trips in 2011.

But, although surpassing its previous best ever numbers of 250 young people last year, the Trust is already setting its sights on eclipsing the new record-breaking figures in 2012!

The Trust, established by Dame Ellen MacArthur in 2003 to inspire children's recovery from cancer and serious illness, offers opportunities for young people aged eight to 24 to take part in a range of sailing-based activities, including the Trust's traditional four-day Solent sailing trips, longer cruising weeks and week-long outdoor activity residential trips.

The young people are also invited back to take part in other events including the J.P Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race and given the chance to earn professional qualifications, such as the Royal Yachting Association Competent Crew course, with many returning as volunteers once they turn 18 too.

Having introduced new 18-24 years' specific trips in 2010, 2011 saw the Trust work with 63 young adults from 10 new hospitals (Scotland, London, Cambridge, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol, Plymouth and Southampton), in addition to the four hospitals (Nottingham, Leicester, Sutton and Leeds) from last year.

Kamal Khalifa, a first time 18-24 years' trip participant from Hendon in North West London, who finished treatment in 2011 for Osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer said: "The trip was my first time sailing and I was really nervous before the trip, but I'm so glad I went! Everyone was really nice and they do the best to help you. I got to know so many people it was like a little family. The sailing was fun and challenging but the best bit was the evenings when everyone chilled and played games. The team really help to get the most out of the trip for you, even if you have limited movement or if you're tired they will do their best to help."

The Trust also introduced a second residential dinghy trip this year, with 25 eight-17 years olds travelling to Waterpark Lakeland Adventure Centre in the Lake District for 'Northern Dinghy Week'. This trip was launched to give more northern-based young people the chance to do something similar to the Trust's original residential week at Bradwell Outdoor Education Centre in Essex much closer to home.

Waterpark trip attendee Paige Nuttall, who finished treatment for a brain tumour in 2009 said: "After my first trip with the Trust I was really excited about coming back and I was looking forward to everything about the new trip! My first trip made me feel so free and it was really exciting to get back on the water. I have had a fantastic time, met loads of news friends and did things I didn't think I could do."

No fewer than 102 volunteers helped across the 14 trips, with over a quarter of those made up of young people whose first involvement with the Trust came when they themselves were in recovery from cancer or leukaemia.

But Frank Fletcher, Trust Chief Executive Officer, insists despite its 2011 success the Trust will not be resting on its laurels. He said: ""When you see over 300 young people enjoying themselves and gaining so much from the different trips it is almost hard to believe we started as two trips with 15 youngsters. This year we had 51 different crews involved in total!

"None of this would be possible without the unbelievable support we get from our volunteers and the Friends of the Trust. For even more young people to be able to sail with us next year we need our more people to  financially support the Trust - a great way to do this is to become a friend of the Trust"

Published in Youth Sailing
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Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

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