Dear Friends and Associates of Trinity Sailing Foundation (TSF),
I am writing to you today with the news that, after 20 years of a very successful venture providing invaluable and often life-changing experiences to thousands of disadvantaged young people and, at the same time, maintaining and operating some of the most important heritage sailing vessels in the UK, we have decided to cease the Foundation’s operations at the end of this year’s sailing season.
While this decision is regrettable, the Trustees of TSF have determined that changing circumstances over recent years have led to the model, that was so successful in the past, being no longer viable.
In recent years, our ability to raise funds has been affected because grant-making charitable trusts, faced with the recent economic situation and increasing demand, have had to reduce the number and scale of the grants they can offer. Also, various organisations who send their young people to take part in our personal development courses based on sail training have had their budgets for this cut or eliminated, increasing the level of bursaries that TSF has traditionally offered to cover the difference between actual cost and what client organisations can afford. At the same time, the costs to maintain our vessels — which are near or over 100 years old —remains high or is even increasing given their hard-working sailing season.
The consequence of these changes has been that TSF has in recent years had negative financial results from normal operations and has only been kept going financially by some extraordinary, one-off and unexpected income that cannot be relied upon to repeat.
Therefore, in order not to allow the Charity to risk developing a critical financial situation, the Trustees have determined that the necessary responsible decision is to stop the ongoing activities and find new homes for the vessels. With the expected surplus funds remaining, the Charity intends to continue to provide support in one way or another to disadvantaged young people.
The Trustees would like to thank all Trusts and other Benefactors who have made contributions over the years. Thanks also go to all past and present staff and crew members who have performed so professionally over the years, who have made Trinity Sailing what it is and whose enthusiasm has helped so many young disadvantaged people over the last two decades. The Trustees would also like to thank the organisations who have entrusted their young people to TSF and who have consistently let us know about both the short — and longer-term — benefits to those young people.
There are many other people, organisations and volunteers who have provided support in many different ways who deserve thanks. All of the above should feel proud of the results they have helped to achieve. We also appreciate the support and interest shown by those who have been on cruises, charters, RYA courses and Duke of Edinburgh adventures with us over the years.
Personally, I would like to thank the Trustees, most of whom have been in place for many years, and who have given their time, experience and professionalism to steer the Charity in the right direction. In particular, a special thanks for the outstanding contribution made by the Founder of TSF, Struan Coupar, who remains a Trustee, for his unstinting perseverance and belief.
For any future communication, please email team@trinitysailing.org
Yours sincerely,
Nick Reilly, Chair of Trustees.
Trinity Sailing
The Sail Loft
Pump Street
Brixham
TQ5 8ED
tel: +44 (0)1803 88 33 55
team@trinitysailing.org
www.trinitysailing.org