This year marks ten years of Roseland Youth Sailing Trust inspiring young people across Cornwall to discover the sea. From first sails in local harbours to offshore adventures aboard Helen Mary R, their work has opened doors to confidence, resilience, and
This week marks ten years since Roseland Youth Sailing Trust (RYST) first set out from St Mawes with a simple vision: to make sailing accessible to young people across Cornwall. Over the past decade, their work has transformed lives through a three-tiered approach that ensures every child has a pathway to the sea, whatever their background.
Through its Schools Programme, RYST introduces children to sailing in their early years, often giving pupils their first afloat experience. For many, this is the spark that ignites a lifelong connection to the water.
Their Offshore Sailing Programme takes that experience to the next level, offering young people aged 15 and above the chance to step aboard larger vessels and undertake a ten-day mini-expedition aboard the Helen Mary R. It is here that lessons in teamwork, leadership, and resilience truly take shape.
Finally, for those who discover a passion for sailing, RYST’s Grants to Individuals Programme removes financial barriers to further training, qualifications, or maritime career development. This support ensures that ability and enthusiasm, not circumstance, determine how far a young person can go.
At Morvargh, we’ve been privileged to work alongside RYST since 2023 through their Offshore Sailing Programme, delivering Sail Training voyages aboard Helen Mary R. Together, we have seen young people grow in confidence, broaden their horizons, and return home with a stronger sense of who they are and what they can achieve.
A decade on, RYST continues to prove that access to the sea is access to opportunity. Their commitment has opened doors for hundreds of young people across Cornwall, and that is something worth celebrating.
At the heart of both of our organisations lies a shared belief: the sea has the power to change lives. Sailing is more than a sport; it's a platform for growth, challenge, and discovery. When young people step aboard, they are taken out of their comfort zone and learn to adapt, persevere, and communicate as part of a team. They develop resilience through facing real situations that demand problem-solving, patience, and courage. They build confidence as they master new skills, and leadership as they take responsibility for themselves and others. Above all, they discover that success stems from collaboration, trust, and determination; lessons that stay with them long after the voyage ends.
Both organisations exist to remove barriers - financial, social, and geographical - that too often limit opportunities. In Cornwall, where many communities live within sight of the sea yet remain distant from it (read about the Pretty Poverty report here), this mission is critical. Through funding, partnerships, and dedicated programmes, RYST and Morvargh ensure that any young person, regardless of circumstance, can access the confidence and adventure that sailing provides.
Where RYST builds the foundation through school sailing and grants, Morvargh extends that journey into deeper waters. Our Sail Training voyages challenge participants to live and work as crew aboard the Helen Mary R, developing teamwork, leadership, and resilience through real-life experiences at sea.
Together, we open doors not only to sailing but to self-belief. Each young person gains more than skills; they discover a sense of belonging, capability, and direction that often lasts a lifetime.
Our partnership with Roseland Youth Sailing Trust has already given two groups of young people from across Cornwall the opportunity to participate in unforgettable offshore adventures aboard the Helen Mary R. Each ten-day expedition brings together young people who have never met before, united by the challenge of living and working together at sea.
The first voyage in 2023 saw the crew sail from Fowey to Guernsey, St Malo, Roscoff and back to Cornwall, an ambitious and rewarding journey that introduced many to life beyond familiar shores. The second, in 2024, followed a slightly different route: Fowey to Roscoff, Tréguier, back to Roscoff and home to Fowey, combining the excitement of two Channel crossings with the chance to explore Brittany’s culture.
In Tréguier, the crew spent a memorable day at the town’s famous Wednesday market, wandering through hundreds of stalls filled with local produce, crafts, and Breton delicacies. It was an authentic encounter with French culture that sparked conversation, laughter, and curiosity long after the voyage ended.
Both voyages were more than journeys of distance; they were journeys of growth. Life aboard Helen Mary R demands teamwork, communication, and shared responsibility. Every task, whether navigating a night watch, setting sails in changing weather, or preparing meals, builds confidence and character. Those who began quietly often found their voice, while others discovered new resilience and leadership.
By the time each voyage ended, the change was apparent. Young people who stepped aboard, uncertain of their place in the world, returned home taller, prouder, and ready for new challenges. Some have gone on to volunteer within the sailing community or pursue maritime careers; others have carried the lessons of teamwork, trust, and perseverance into their everyday lives.
For Morvargh, these voyages capture the very essence of Sail Training: learning through challenge, growing through teamwork, and realising potential through shared experience. For Roseland Youth Sailing Trust, they stand as proof of what can be achieved when opportunity meets belief.
Together, we are helping a generation of young people in Cornwall to see the sea not as a boundary but as a horizon filled with possibility.
The end of a voyage aboard Helen Mary R is never truly an ending. The skills, confidence, and friendships forged at sea become an integral part of who young people are, laying a foundation on which they can build their future.
Working alongside Roseland Youth Sailing Trust, we see how this investment pays dividends far beyond the deck. Sail Training develops qualities that are invaluable in education, work, and life: communication, teamwork, resilience, and leadership. The sea demands adaptability and trust, and those who experience it return home better equipped to face new challenges.
Two of our current Watch Leaders, Willow and Yumi, exemplify this lasting impact.
Willow first discovered sailing through sessions organised by RYST at Polkerris while at school. That initial experience ignited a passion that has taken her across thousands of miles of open water. Today, she is an aspiring GB sailor who recently balanced her GCSEs with a month-long voyage to Scotland and back with us on our ASPIRE Scotland & Celtic Nations expedition. Even before that, she sailed around the UK aboard the Helen Mary R with our ASPIRE360 Round Britain Challenge, demonstrating real resilience and leadership. Despite her time at sea, she achieved excellent academic results and is now on a mission to inspire other young women to take up sailing.
Yumi also began her journey through RYST’s school sessions. That early exposure built her confidence and independence, qualities she now shares as a Watch Leader with Morvargh. Most recently, she completed her own challenge: walking the Camino de Santiago across Spain, a testament to her determination and spirit. Yumi takes everything that the sea throws at her and loves every minute - that joy and independent spirit are a massive inspiration to the young people around her.
Stories like Willow’s and Yumi’s remind us that success is not only measured in miles sailed, but in the young people they become. Through RYST’s ongoing support, young people gain the confidence to explore their world, set goals, and make a difference in their communities.
Together, we are creating change that extends far beyond Cornwall’s coastline. Each young person who sails carries that experience into their education, their work, and their life, proof that when we invest in opportunity, we unlock potential that might otherwise remain hidden.
This month marks ten years since Roseland Youth Sailing Trust first set out to make sailing accessible to every child in mid-Cornwall. Founded in 2015 by Dina Wheatcroft, RYST was created to challenge the notion that sailing was a sport for the few. Dina believed that Cornwall’s maritime heritage belonged to everyone and that no child should miss out on the fun and learning sailing brings.
From those early days when Dina wrote to schools offering free sailing lessons and was met with silence, RYST has grown into one of Cornwall’s most respected youth charities. Today, 21 schools across the Roseland and Clay Country take part, giving more than 2,400 children the chance to sail through RYA-approved centres.
In its first decade, RYST has raised £332,785. Three-quarters of this funding has supported school sailing, with £64,995 allocated to 58 young people on offshore voyages, and a further £13,000 awarded in individual grants for further development.
This anniversary also marks a new chapter as RYST becomes a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, strengthening its governance for the future. Dina Wheatcroft now continues as Founding Patron, and Mark Osborn has taken on the role of Chair.
Mark notes:
“There’s no limit to the enthusiasm with which children take to the water and learn to sail. The only limit is the funding available, so we’re profoundly grateful to the charities, local organisations and residents of the Roseland who have helped create so much joy in our first 10 years.”
At Morvargh Sailing Project, we are proud to stand alongside RYST in this mission to change young lives through the sea. Their work continues to transform curiosity into confidence and potential into purpose. As RYST embarks on its next decade, we look forward to continuing this partnership and helping even more young people discover what they are truly capable of.
As Roseland Youth Sailing Trust looks ahead, one truth stands clear: like Morvargh, its impact depends on continued community support. Every donation, sponsorship, or local partnership helps another young person in Cornwall experience the challenge and adventure that only the sea can offer.
In ten years, RYST has opened the door to sailing for over 2,000 young people. Yet for every child who has stepped aboard, many more still wait for their chance.
By donating, you can help ensure cost never stands in the way of potential. Your contribution could fund a first sailing lesson, an offshore voyage, or a grant for a young sailor taking the next step.
At Morvargh, we’ve seen what that investment delivers: young people returning home with renewed purpose, stronger self-belief, and a lasting sense of achievement. Supporting RYST means giving the next generation the same opportunity.
If possible, please consider making a donation or becoming a supporter of the Roseland Youth Sailing Trust. Every pound raised creates ripples of change that reach far beyond the shore. To find out more or contribute, visit https://www.ryst.org.uk/donate-to-ryst/.
Together, we can help more young people in Cornwall discover their strength, confidence, and horizons.
Discover your next adventure at sea. Join one of our life-changing Sail Training voyages and unlock confidence, teamwork, and resilience through real experience.
Follow Helen Mary R in near real time as she sails around the coast. See where we are now and be part of the journey from wherever you are.
Every donation helps keep our sails full and our programmes accessible. Help us inspire the next generation through the power of the sea.
Bring your skills aboard or ashore. From sailing staff to shore-based champions, volunteering changes lives — including your own.
