Vendée Globe sailor Alex Thomson has forged a close link with a centre for excluded, vulnerable and disadvantaged youngsters to give them a chance to learn the ropes to eventually become a top class sailor.

Grant Milne, 16, is the first of many youngsters from the Quayside Education Centre in Gosport who has been accepted on a summer work placement with Alex's crew.

Based at Haslar Marina in Gosport, Grant has been busy helping the crew prepare the Hugo Boss-sponsored Open 60 yacht ready for the Vendée Globe race later this year – widely regarded as the most gruelling sailing race in the world.

Grant spends his day cleaning and preparing the race yacht and a Volvo 60 yacht used for marketing.

From 8.30am to 5.30am he is learning about rope knots, how to maintain a boat and predict the winds.

He's even been on a sailing trip around the Isle of Wight and to Cornwall.

He has his lunch expenses paid for but does all the work for free.

The experience could prove crucial when Grant wants to try for his competent crew certificate – one of the first qualifications needed to become a fully-fledged sailor.

Grant, of Gosport, said: 'It's quite hard work. It's knackering in fact. But I love it.

'I've learnt so much and I love being out of the water and that sense of freedom.

'Getting the experience of working with a crew is invaluable. You can't pay for this experience.'

Alex said his desire to help the youngsters at Quayside comes partly from personal experience.

He said: 'My mum died when I was 16 years old. I didn't know what to do with my life and I spent three or four years going off the rails. Then I found sailing and it's changed my life.

'We have some fantastic kids who have got lots of energy but don't have the right way to channel it

'Working with the Quayside centre is an opportunity to give something back and support local people.'

sion.donovan@thenews.co.uk