IN the late 1970s ago a small but indomitable team set out to change the face of sailing, breaking down barriers and opening up the sport to those with disabilities.

Nearly 30 years on, more than 250 people from Swindon and Wiltshire with a range of conditions or learning difficulties have set off on their very own adventures across the high seas thanks to the Jubilee Sailing Trust. No fewer than 39,000 across the country have sailed with the charity, making it the only one of its kind worldwide.

“The JST has been changing lives since 1978," says member Alan Fisher. "In that year it became a registered charity through the extraordinary vision of a dedicated group of people working against the odds to make their dream a reality. "Back then the idea of integrating physically disabled with able-bodied people on a tall ship was a unique concept, and yet the JST still remains to this day the only organisation of its kind in the world.”

Alan, also a member of the award-winning Swindon Male Voice Choir, launched his own branch of the Southampton-based organisation six years ago to reach out to adventurers across Swindon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.

“Considering that one-in-four of us is close to a person with a disability, it is amazing that there is still that element of prejudice, misconception about ability, and a lack of awareness of the things that can make life inclusive," he adds. “It is a life-changing experience to sail on the tall ships. The environment is unusual and takes people out of their comfort zone. That’s positive in our eyes. People who were once unknown to each other and from different backgrounds very quickly come together to work as a team. It’s exciting and challenging.”

The JST’s two ships have sailed hundreds of thousands of miles across European and North Atlantic waters. Both ships are regular visitors to France and Ireland in the summer and the Canaries or Mediterranean in the winter.

In 1984, HRH Prince Andrew the Duke of York became the JST’s patron, a post he still holds to this day.

The charity operates a buddy system to allow people with disabilities to learn the sport while building trust and friendship with their sailing partner.

“Two people are paired together, one able-bodied and one physically-disabled," says Alan. "They share the voyage and help one another along the way, developing a special bond that leaves a positive and lasting impression.”

To find out more contact Alan at alanfisher@rfranklinway.fsworld.co.uk or visit www.jst.org.uk.

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