Adrian Ragbourne, Seas Your Future Chief Executive, explains how leaving a gift in your Will can help young people to experience the life-changing impact of a sail training voyage with us.
Thank you for considering this very special gift. By leaving a gift to Seas Your Future in your Will you can support us to continue our important charitable work offering young people aged 14-25, many from disadvantaged backgrounds, the opportunity to enjoy the experience of their lives on a voyage on board one of our tall ships.
If you are reading this guide you share my belief that all young people deserve to have as many opportunities in life as possible. Young people from different backgrounds aged between 14 and 25 join us on a voyage of self-discovery like no other. They learn from experts in sail training, explore the possibilities of a maritime career or pursue a passion for ocean science and environmental conservation. Whether they are with us for 7 days or 6 months, from start to finish it’s all about working with others, watching friendships flourish and positively shaping their future direction. Although it is an attraction for many, learning to sail in itself is not the essential goal of sail training. Nor is it just an opportunity for an adventure. The value and power of sail training derives from its unique combination of characteristics to develop:
· The Character of Young People
· Their Resilience
· Self-Confidence, and
· Independence
These are all valuable life skills that will improve their job prospects and equip them for their future education and careers.
Ten years ago our charity took ownership of our first tall ship, Pelican of London, and in most years between 500 and 600 young people will have the experience of sailing on her. Since then the number of opportunities to sail with organisations like ourselves has sadly reduced, and we want to change this, so that many more young people can have this life-changing experience. In March 2022 we acquired a second ship, the Fridtjof Nansen, which is being completely rebuilt to more than double the number of young people we can take with us. A gift in your Will enables us to continue this vital work.
Thank you for your support, which is both appreciated and valued. Please read the inspiring words of some of the young people who have sailed with us.
Adrian Ragbourne, CEO, Seas Your Future
A gift in your Will would help young people like Ben. This is Ben, who sailed with us for five weeks in the summer of 2022, sponsored by several local businesses, foundations and Rotary clubs. He is hoping for a career in the Royal Navy, and he told us that as a direct result of his experience on Pelican he realized how much he really wants to sail as a career, and it has strengthened his determination to gain the necessary qualifications. If you would like to speak to someone before including Seas Your Future in your will, perhaps about our work or for some guidance on how to proceed, please email Simon Thorrington: simon@seasyourfuture.org
Being on board the Pelican for 5 weeks during the summer has been a very uplifting experience for me. I enjoyed the time immensely. I feel that I have learned a lot, from sailing to the marine biology lessons. I have also gained confidence by teaching and helping others on board, I now have a greater understanding of other people's abilities and strengths. We all learn at different rates, some people pick it up first time while others need to be shown several times, patience and understanding is key. I am very grateful for the opportunity I was given and will carry it with me as one of my greatest achievements so far. Thank you to all of the crew aboard the Pelican of London and the onshore staff.
Ben, aged 14, August 2022
A gift in your Will would help young people like Sarah, who sailed with us for six weeks in 2021. She was sponsored by a bursary trust. Sarah sailed on the third leg, lasting 30 days, of an Ocean Science voyage around the UK, and on a shorter 7-day voyage, sailing around East Anglia from London. If you would like to speak to someone before including Seas Your Future in your will, perhaps about our work or for some guidance on how to proceed, please email Simon Thorrington: simon@seasyourfuture.org
Looking back at it a couple of weeks later, it has become one of my fondest memories and experiences in which I can constantly reflect back on as the skills I have taken from it are proving valuable in the search for work. It has also given me a new career direction to follow as I am looking for courses to become a deckhand and hopefully become a bosun of a ship someday. This in itself shows the power of the experience as I’ve finally found my new passion. I will not hesitate to re-join the crew on another one of their adventures.
Sarah, aged 18, September 2021.
If you would like to speak to someone before including Seas Your Future in your will, perhaps about our work or for some guidance on how to proceed, please email Simon Thorrington: simon@seasyourfuture.org
1. Planning your Will: the first step in planning your Will is to write down your assets and think about the people and causes you’d like to include.
2. Inheritance Tax: any gifts left to charities, including Seas Your Future, are exempt from Inheritance Tax – so including a charitable gift can sometimes help reduce the tax on your estate. But Inheritance Tax is a complex and often-changing area of law, so we suggest you visit www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax for the latest information.
This can be a percentage of what is left over once loved ones are provided for, called a residuary gift, or it can be any percentage you like. As this gift is a proportion of your estate it keeps pace with inflation.
This is a specific amount, also known as a pecuniary gift. You can choose any amount you like but it’s worth reviewing periodically as it may lose value over time due to inflation.
You can also choose to leave a particular item, such as a piece of jewellery, an antique or even a property. A gift like this should be named in your Will.
If you would like to speak to someone before including Seas Your Future in your will, perhaps about our work or for some guidance on how to proceed, please email Simon Thorrington: simon@seasyourfuture.org
Our 2020 Development Plan outlines our aims and objectives for the next few years.
Crew and students share experiences with you on their Seas Your Future voyages with College Partners and Darwin200.
If you would like to get involved with Seas Your Future please click here to register your interest.
