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Isle of Wight: Little Brig Sailing Trust

Tall order to raise cash for little big ship

By Martin Neville - Thursday, November 20, 2008
Tall order to raise cash for little big ship
BIG VOTES NEEDED FOR LITTLE BRIG: The Little Brig Sailing Trust has reached the final of The People’s Millions 2008 and is appealing for votes to help it win a £50,000 lottery grant.
A COWES-based sailing trust which operates Britain’s smallest tall ship has reached the final of The People’s Millions 2008.
The Little Brig Sailing Trust is calling on Islanders to put wind in its sails and help the charity on its way to a £50,000 lottery grant by voting for them in the ITV Meridian competition on Monday.
The trust takes mixed ability crews of young people, disabled and able-bodied — five at a time, aged from 10 years — to sea for short trips. With 100 ropes to pull on, as well as the steering, there are lots of jobs to do and all the crew have to work as a team to make the brig sail properly.
The trust owns two boats. The first, Bob Allen, was acquired in September 2007 and has been busy ever since. At just 30 feet long, she is the world’s smallest tall ship and her home port is Cowes.
“In July this year, among other adventures, she spent three weeks in Liverpool, introducing 400 people to the fun of a tall ship,” said Roy Lambden, a trustee and director.
“We also have the uncompleted hull of her sister ship, Caroline Allen, and the success of The People’s Millions bid will allow her to be finished, doubling the number of young people we can take sailing. She will be fitted out in Cowes and will take up to 1,000 young people day sailing during the year, providing them with a unique, challenging and life changing experience.”
The Little Brig Sailing Trust will be competing on Monday on Meridian TV’s evening news and the lines will be open from 9am until midnight on that day.
Those who miss the programme can get the voting phone number on the day from www.littlebrig.com, the Daily Mirror and from the Big Lottery web site.

Reporter: martinn@iwcpmail.co.uk