Thank you everyone for all your support in 2022

As we wind down 2022, once again we cannot express enough just how grateful we are to everyone who supported us this year – whether this was by sharing our news, sailing with us, partnering with us, donating to help keep us delivering our mission, or volunteering your time on ship or shore. This year has seen great challenges and changes for JST, and we wouldn’t still be here if it wasn’t for you. Thank you.

Between February and December this year you helped us to welcome 848 people of mixed abilities onboard S.V. Tenacious, sailing on one of our 24 voyages or 4 day sails. We sailed from ports including Southampton, Portsmouth, Portland, Jersey, Liverpool, Dublin, Poole, London, Great Yarmouth, Lisbon, Gibraltar, and Las Palmas, whilst visiting many more along the way. 43% of our crew had a disability or impairmant of some kind, sailing alongside fellow crew members with widely varying backgrounds, ages and circumstances. Our youngest crew member was 12, and our oldest was 94!

Our Impact Questionnaires reveal that after a JST voyage in 2022:

97% of our beneficiaries ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that society can be more accessible through adaptations and changes in attitudes;

94% …were able to contribute to the onboard experience in a meaningful way and were able to contribute and felt valued as part of the team;

93% …are now more aware of the ability and potential in others;

87% …have enhanced their own skills, and their teamwork skills;

87% …feel more confident to work with people of different ability levels and from different backgrounds.

We look forward to seeing you in 2023!

As promised in our last update, the 2023 daysail and open ship dates are listed below. We are very fortunate to have received grant funding for Welsh residents (disabled or non-disabled) to sail on the Cardiff daysail and so have set up an ‘enquiry’ form vs a booking form to make sure we can prioritise Welsh resisents to sail on the day. The Cardiff daysail will still be available to book if people don’t live in Wales, however we will be prioritising Welsh residents at first.

• Portsmouth day sail 1: 27th May
• Portsmouth day sail 2: 3rd June
• Cardiff day sail: 17th June
• Greenock day sail: 15th July

We also have 7 set dates (and one still being finalised) for Open Ships in 2023, as part of our UK tour to thank as many people in person for your support this year, and welcome new people onboard. Initial dates for your diaries are as follows:

• Cardiff: 16th June
• Liverpool: 2nd July
• Greenock: 14th July
• Blyth: 19th August
• Chatham: 27th August
• Great Yarmouth: (early September, exact date TBC)
• London: 16th September
• Jersey: 24th September

More details regarding the Open Ships will be circulated in the new year. If you have some great ideas about how we can maximise our presence in advance of our visit or on the day, please let us know by emailing community@jst.org.uk

We can’t wait to welcome you onboard!