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Voyage of a
lifetime ahead for the crew on
Tall Ship Lord Nelson
The Jubilee Sailing Trust and Barclays employees from across the UK have joined forces to embark on an extraordinary event; to voyage round Great Britain aboard Lord Nelson, 1 of only 2 fully accessible tall ships in the world.
In total over 400 people, comprising of Barclays colleagues alongside disabled or disadvantaged people, will be joining the ship's permanent crew for 11 voyages over a 2 month period. The event programme aims to not only provide a life changing
experience for all participants, but to create community level opportunities to promote accessible services, digital skills and inclusive employment thanks to a parallel series of in port
events linking with Local Authority and Corporate partners.
The 1st of its kind voyage has been a huge logistical undertaking, bringing together hundreds
of people across the country, and dozens of community and charity groups, to help deliver the bold ambition of a:-
"Round Britain
Relay," aiming to change perceptions of disability and bring
together the communities in which Barclays operates. Lord Nelson reached Huskinsson Docks, on Wednesday, 3 May
2017. With a new voyage crew joining in
Liverpool, the ship will voyage back out to see before returning to Liverpool Cruise Terminal, at the weekend, ready for a day of events, on Monday, 8 May 2017.
Commissioned by the Jubilee Sailing Trust in 1984, Lord Nelson was the 1st tall ship in the world to be designed and built to enable people of all ages and
abilities to sail side by side on equal terms. Each of the 209 Barclays employees will be paired with a
'buddy' on the 11 leg voyage, with everyone working together to have a shared, inclusive
experience. During the voyage, the crew will get the chance to share skills and life experiences, and make lasting friendships. Especially designed facilities onboard include wide flat decks
for ease of movement around the ship, wheelchair lifts between deck levels, hearing loops, a speaking compass, when required and hydraulic power assisted steering to enable people with
limited strength or mobility to experience the thrill of controlling a large sailing ship.
Simon Smith, Regional Director, Barclays Wealth Management, said:- "Volunteering on Lord Nelson will be an extraordinary experience
for everyone involved and is
something incredibly special for them to be part of. The ethos of the trip is
about allowing the crew to test themselves in exceptional circumstances and we
hope everyone involved gains an overwhelming sense of achievement and pride,
which in turn, will impact on their personal and professional lives. We know
that 1 in 5 of us have an impairment and
initiatives such as this help to educate and equip everyone involved with the right tools and experience when catering for disabled
and disadvantaged people. Living in a diverse society it's important
for us to help raise awareness."
Duncan Souster, Chief Executive Officer, Jubilee Sailing Trust,
commented:- "We are absolutely delighted to be
working with Barclays on this ground breaking initiative. It
is great to see their outstanding and strong commitment to
creating more diverse, inclusive
communities and to building individual life skills. I am so
impressed by the fundraising efforts of
their staff to provide this very special opportunity to
individuals living within their community."
Elaine Draper, Barclays Director of Customer
Vulnerability and Accessibility, said:-
"Both organizations are committed to creating environments and
opportunities which are open
and accessible to all; and this event provides a fantastic
platform to do something on a national
scale, but with local flavour, so that it resonates with the
whole community. Accessibility, digital
innovation and community engagement are integral to the way
Barclays does business and this
project has been a fantastic opportunity to bring colleagues
together to build a sense of pride in
what the bank is doing and the way we do it."
For more information visit:-
JST.Org.UK/About-Jubilee-Sailing-Trust.
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