Sailing Charities come together to benefit young people in Portsmouth

The Andrew Simpson Foundation (ASF) and Portsmouth Sail Training Trust (PSTT) have come together © Andrew Simpson Foundation

The Andrew Simpson Foundation (ASF) and Portsmouth Sail Training Trust (PSTT) have come together to help grow and develop a programme aimed at raising the aspirations of young people in Portsmouth.

Over the years, Portsmouth Sail Training Trust has carried out some excellent charitable work with disadvantaged young people from a variety of inner-city schools. The programme provides the young people with an opportunity to attend regular sailing and onshore training sessions and gain a variety of marine and associated qualifications – raising their aspirations and helping to break the unemployment cycle. This programme can now go from strength to strength with enhanced management and infrastructure provided by the Andrew Simpson Foundation.

The Andrew Simpson Foundation will continue to run the programme with the young people as it has done in the Naval Dockyard with the fantastic resources it offers. The young people will also benefit from the facilities at the Andrew Simpson Watersports Centre – Portsmouth, increasing the scope of the programme, providing more opportunities to learn and allow the young people to gain more qualifications. With the aim of changing the lives of more young people in Portsmouth.

ASF CEO Richard Percy commented "Having worked closely with the PSTT over the past few years it is fantastic news that we now have the opportunity to come together on a full-time basis. This partnership will mean that we will be able to increase the benefits of the sail training programme to more socially deprived young people within Portsmouth."

PSTT Chairman Ed Phillips added "The Portsmouth Sail Training Trust and Andrew Simpson Foundation have worked closely together since 2014, and over the years they have built an ever-closer partnership. Both organisations have now concluded that by working together on this project they will be able to further increase the benefit to the young people of Portsmouth through a shared infrastructure, strength in depth of front-line resources, an increased fund-raising capability and a higher profile. We are really looking forward to continuing to grow together for the benefit of young people".

To find out more on the project please visit www.portsmouthsailtrainingtrust.org

To find out more about the ASF please visit www.andrewsimpsonfoundation.org