Will Makepeace (17) and Antony Fairhurst (19) – both Prince’s Trust Programme students with Weymouth College – will be spending much of the late spring and summer volunteering on the Tall Ship Pelican.
The two students joined T.S. Pelican – a Class A tall ship operated by Dorset-based charity Adventure Under Sail – to undertake the work participation element of their Prince’s Trust Programme.
Will so enjoyed his placement that he immediately started volunteering in his leisure time and is now planning to undertake a programme of volunteering throughout the spring and summer with a view to progressing towards training to become a deck-hand.
Antony – who had been unemployed for three years before embarking on the Prince’s Trust Programme – feels that in maritime skills he has found his vocation:
“I’ve never felt so passionate about anything in my life before”.
Antony will be undertaking a week of marine training in Southampton in June, providing him with the skills needed to become a certificated sea-going deck-hand. He will join the voluntary crew on T.S. Pelican over the summer season and will be participating in all their European excursions – including the Tall Ships Race to Cadiz, Spain in July and August.
Weymouth College – in conjunction with The Prince’s Trust – are pleased to announce that Antony’s maritime training in June will be funded by means of a scholarship.
An afternoon of celebration
Will and Antony joined their team members from the latest cohort of the Prince’s Trust Team Programme – and their friends and families – at a celebration held at the college’s Hix Academy to recognise the achievements of all the students completing the 12-week course.
Richard Drax MP was pleased to be able to attend the celebration and present each of the Prince’s Trust Team students with their certificates and employment, teamwork and community awards.
Tim Ellis, Prince’s Trust Leader said:
“It has been great to see these young people benefitting from their efforts. There are some exciting ambitions now within the group in areas such as catering, leisure and tourism. Together with Lilly Markwell (Assistant Team Leader) and Bob Mears (Student Support Assistant), I wish them every success in achieving their goals.”
The students presenting and sharing their experiences at Friday’s celebration were:Antony Fairhurst,William Makepeace,Greg Bucke,Harry Elsworthy,Ruby Keen,Paige Jolliff,Ben Baker, Josh Maguire, Adam Mahindadasa and Ollie Arnold
The college will continue to support all members of the Team Programme, actively helping them to engage in their immediate plans for further training and personal development
