ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is delighted to award a £29,700 grant to Turn to Starboard (T2S) towards its Making the Right Turn project, which delivers sailing courses and adventure challenges for veterans.
Our charity regularly supports organisations that promote veterans’ mental health and wellbeing through sporting and outdoor activities. T2S delivers unique support to veterans through marine sailing activities from its base in Falmouth. Veterans can test themselves in an empathetic, no pressure environment with 24/7 support from the charity’s instructors and skippers. Many veterans find a real sense of achievement through sailing challenges, with some later acquiring formal yachting qualifications.
The following case study is a testament to T2S’s unique way of promoting veterans’ mental health and wellbeing.
Jim served as a Royal Engineer for six years, experienced serious mental health problems and was temporarily sectioned in a secure hospital until early 2022. Having been interested in sailing when he was young, Jim contacted T2S, received training and took part in a 4-week sailing challenge from Falmouth to London. He has since obtained various Royal Yachting Association (RYA) sailing qualifications and aims to become a T2S Tall Ship Skipper.
Jim says: “Turn to Starboard gives you a base and sense of belonging. When you’re here, you don’t feel alone, and just being around good people meant I didn’t need to go out drinking. You have a purpose on the boat, you’re trusted and just want to do a good job for the people you are with.”
Steve Richards, Bid and Grants Officer, Turn to Starboard, said:
“ABF The Soldiers’ Charity has facilitated so much through its significant support since we first started in 2014. So we are delighted that again this year it has agreed to fund us to help those who have served in the Army and given a great deal in the past. This grant enables us to make a real difference and expand future opportunities for our beneficiaries.”
Brigadier (Ret’d) Peter Monteith, Chief Operating Officer, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, added:
“We want to help T2S’s beneficiaries and veterans like Jim to improve their mental wellbeing and find a new life purpose and sense of achievement. This goes to the heart of our charity’s mission. We were only too pleased to help fund T2S’s unique work in this important area.”
For more information about Turn to Starboard, please visit their website here.
