Record-breaking yachtswoman commits to helping children in care sail towards a brighter future

Nikki Henderson © Care to Sail

Declan and Amelia © Care to Sail

The youngest ever skipper to lead a team in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has been named as an ambassador for Care to Sail, a Scotland-based not-for-profit organisation which takes young people in care and transforms their health and wellbeing through sailing.

Nikki Henderson, who sailed around the world aged just 24, has partnered with Care to Sail to encourage the learning and development of those in care and those that are care experienced.

The partnership will see Nikki share her own experiences, knowledge and values to inspire the young people helped by the project.

Care to Sail is launching a global challenge that will work with a group of 12 young care experienced people aged 16 - 25 and train them to navigate and crew an ocean racing yacht with the aim of taking part in an epic 40,000 nautical mile Around the World Adventure, with the support of an experienced skipper and minimal crew.

The inaugural Care to Sail, global challenge is scheduled to set sail in March 2022. The crew of youngsters will spend one year at sea and will visit countries including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America, linking up with other organisations which support young people in care around the world as they do so.

Nikki will be one of a team of experts who will lead and deliver training for these young people and will not only share practical and technical skills required to crew an ocean racing yacht, but also share advice and mentor the young people taking part.

Now aged 27, Nikki skippered her first transatlantic race at just 20 years of age and has gone on to become one of Britain's leading female offshore sailors of her generation. Where possible she partners sailing with her other interests: storytelling, leadership and impacting global change. Last year she sailed Greta Thunberg across the Atlantic.

Nikki Henderson said: "Care To Sail is a fantastic and bold initiative and after talking with Declan who founded the organisation, hearing his story and why he wanted to help young people and give them an opportunity they might not otherwise have, I knew I wanted to get involved.

"Sailing is a huge passion of mine and something I was fortunate to get involved with at a young age. Hopefully through the Care to Sail ambassador programme, we can help inspire a new generation of young sailors.

"A trip like this across the ocean and around the world builds character and creates bonds with the crew you spend your time with. It can be very challenging out there at sea, especially when the weather isn't in your favour, but it can also be extremely rewarding and really help you prove to yourself just how resilient and resourceful you can be."

Care to Sail was founded by Declan Cox in 2019 who entered the care system himself at a very young age. These years in care left him suicidal until he discovered sailing.

He hopes that Care to Sail can provide young people who have also experienced life in the care system, with sail training and a chance to explore new places which will in turn have mental health benefits and equip them with skills for life.

Care to Sail is the first offshore sail training organisation specifically focussed on working with those in care and care experienced young people.

Declan said: "Nikki is an inspirational role model and incredibly experienced sailor. We hope that her ambassadorship will have a major influence, inspiring and encouraging our young people and staff to engage with mentoring, as well as demonstrating obtainable goals and broadening their perspectives.

"At Care to Sail we believe that support and collaboration is essential. From my own experience, I know that young people in care don't often have positive role models. We aim to build a structure of mentors, role models and ambassadors as a key element of the project."

Declan and Nikki will be joined by experienced ocean-racing skipper Amelia Ralphs, who has worked with grand prix race teams and sailed all over the world since the age of 14. Amelia hopes to use her experiences at sea to help young people as part of the Care to Sail initiative.

Care to Sail's ambassador programme will continue throughout the duration of the project. The organisation aims to work with up to six ambassadors from a variety of backgrounds, bridging the gap between sailing and the youth and social care industries.

For more information visit www.caretosail.org.uk