Sponsored by
Ellen voyage a big boost, says Harriet
A young cancer survivor says the chance to go sailing with record-breaker Dame Ellen MacArthur has given her a massive confidence boost.
Teenager Harriet Wills was among five youngsters to take part in the first leg of Dame Ellen's latest trip.
The tour around Britain for young cancer survivors left Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, last week and will see 85 people take part over four months.
Harriet, 15, who is now back home in Bursledon, said: 'It was great.
'I got the chance to speak to Ellen a few times and that was really good.
'I thought I'd be nervous but I was quite relaxed because she is just so down-to-earth, you don't realise you're talking to a celebrity.
'I enjoyed the sailing and meeting everyone.'
The 2,000-mile voyage has been organised by the Ellen MacArthur Trust, which takes young people sailing to help them regain confidence on their way to recovery from cancer, leukaemia and other serious illness.
As part of the trip Dame Ellen is giving a series of talks for the first time since her record breaking round the world voyage in 2005.
All money raised is going towards the Ellen MacArthur Trust.
Harriet, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1999 and sailed with the trust during her recovery, was there for Dame Ellen's first speech in Brighton.
She said: 'She talked about her first trip around Britain and about going round the world and what she wants to do in the future.
'What the Trust stands for and what it does is great.
'I'm grateful for what it does because not many people think about it.
'There's nothing else like it that builds your confidence.
'Ellen's talk was really inspirational and it gave me a massive confidence boost.'
The journey gives those on board the chance to return to the paediatric oncology wards of the hospitals they were treated in and share their experiences with those currently undergoing treatment for cancer.
Harriet said: 'It was a chance to make good friends with the others on board.
'We were like a big family for the week.'
ROUND BRITAIN
The Ellen MacArthur Trust round Britain voyage mirrors Dame Ellen MacArthur's first solo round Britain voyage in her 21ft yacht, Iduna in 1995.
The 48-foot Scarlet Oyster will sail the 2,000 nautical miles around Britain on a four month voyage, stopping at 17 ports including Dover, London, Ipswich, Hull, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness, Glasgow, Belfast, Douglas, Liverpool, Holyhead, Cardiff, Torquay and Southampton.
The crew is made up of young people on each leg aged from 10 to 24-years-old, who will not just have to learn to sail the boat but will also manage life on board including cooking, cleaning and washing up.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -4 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -5 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
