The Ellen MacArthur Trust arrives in Scotland

The Ellen MacArthur Trust arrives in Scotland

The
Ellen MacArthur Trust Skandia Round Britain Voyage of Discovery is about to
arrive in Scotland. Having
started from Cowes, Isle of Wight on 3rd May, 85 young people (12
from Scotland) are sailing the 48 foot yacht Scarlet Oyster the 2000 nautical miles
around Britain on a four month voyage with one cause;
to inspire young people's cancer recovery through sailing.

The
Ellen MacArthur Trust Skandia Round Britain Voyage of Discovery will be arriving
in Edinburgh on Wednesday 17th June 2009,
mooring at Port Edgar marina & sailing school before heading up to Aberdeen through the Caledonian Canal and down to Largs as
it circumnavigates Britain.

During
its tour through Scotland the
Ellen MacArthur Trust Skandia Round Britain Voyage of Discovery will visit many
of Scotland's port cities to
include:

• Edinburgh: 17th June
  2009
• Aberdeen: 1st July
  2009
• Inverness: 9th July 2009
• Fort William: 18th July 2009
• Largs: 25th June 2009

To
coincide with the voyage record breaking British
yachtswoman and the Trust's patron Dame Ellen MacArthur will be giving a series
of public talks about her life and career. 
It will be the first time that Ellen has spoken publicly since her record
breaking round the world voyage in 2005.  Ellen will talk about her many
experiences at sea, her work with the Ellen MacArthur Trust and her plans for
the future.

The talks schedule is
confirmed as:

• Edinburgh: Wednesday
  17th June, Lecture Theatre 175, Old College,
  University of
  Edinburgh from 6.30 to 7.30pm
• Aberdeen: Tuesday
  30th June,
  Aberdeen Christian Fellowship,
  Union Grove, Aberdeen from 6.30 to 7.30pm
• Inverness: Friday
  10th July, Suite, The Caledonian
  Thistle Football Club Stadium, Stadium Road from 6.30-7.30pm
• Date
  for Largs arrival is 25th July 2009

• Glasgow: Monday
  27th July, venue and
  times tbc

The
young people
taking part in this ‘Voyage of
Discovery' have all previously sailed with the trust, those taking part from
Scotland
include:

• Jodie Waters, (18, Dumfries &
  Galloway) who will be sailing on leg 6 that
  leaves from Newcastle on 12th June
  arriving in Edinburgh 18th June,
• Chris Logan, (19 ,
  Glasgow) who will be sailing on leg 7 that
  sails from Edinburgh on 25th June arriving in Aberdeen on
  2nd July
• The
  Trust is also taking young people from Scottish hospitals sailing down through
  the Caledonian Canal; it will be their first
  experience sailing with the Trust. These young people will set sail from
  Inverness on 12th July and will arrive in Fort William on 19th July.

Into the
Blue

Tel: 01983
203527

Mob: 07866
516380

Email: [email protected]

Mimi
Wilmot-Amies

Into the
Blue

Tel: 01983 203
524

Mob: 0777 900
3364

Email: [email protected]

* When referring to the Voyage please use the full title ‘Ellen
MacArthur Trust Skandia Round Britain
voyage'

Daily conference
calls will be made to the boat during the voyage. For media enquiries and for
information on joining these calls please contact:

Emma
McKinney

Into the
Blue

Tel:  01983
203527

Mobile:  07866
516380

Email:  [email protected]

About The Ellen
MacArthur Trust

Launched by Dame
Ellen MacArthur in 2003, the Trust takes young people aged between 8-18 years
sailing to help them regain their confidence on their way to recovery from
cancer, leukaemia and other serious illness.  The Ellen MacArthur Trust makes sailing
accessible to children who, because of their illness would not otherwise be
given the opportunity.  Currently
the Trust works with most of the young person's primary cancer care units in the
UK and is aiming to engage with all
of them by 2010.

The Trust has grown
significantly since it began in 2003.  During 2009 the Trust will be
running 25 summer trips, participating in the JPMorgan Round the Island Race
with two boats, participating in a residential dinghy week at Bradwell on Sea as
well as organising and running the Ellen MacArthur Trust Skandia Round Britain
Voyage of Discovery.

In Ellen's words
"These children are truly amazing, they face experiences that no child should
ever have to go through and yet they do it with the biggest smile on their
faces, they are truly inspiring.  If
these trips can make a small difference to the children that join us then it is
worth every penny, thank you to all our supporters we couldn't do it without
you."

The Trust has two
patrons Dame Ellen MacArthur and double Olympic gold medallist Shirley
Robertson, both of whom will be taking part in the Round Britain
voyage.

For further details
on the Trust please visit www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org

About Ellen
MacArthur

Dame Ellen
MacArthur first hit the headlines in 2001 when she raced solo, non-stop around
the world in the Vendée Globe when only 24 years old.  In February 2005,
she set a new solo, non-stop round the world record aboard her 75ft trimaran of
71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds.  She has since been awarded
numerous accolades, including a DBE from the Queen and a Légion d'Honneur from
French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Ellen is now a
partner in BT Team Ellen, alongside other world-class sailors Sébastien Josse
and Nick Moloney. The team is dedicated to success across a number of
disciplines including the IMOCA Ocean Racing World Championships and the Extreme
40 catamaran series.

Aside from sailing,
Ellen has a keen interest in sustainability and is working as an "agent for
change" with businesses to discover how to make the transition towards a more
sustainable future.