Lawn Manor pupil, Kieran Fricker, was one of ten young people to set sail on a once-in-a lifetime adventure voyage from Plymouth to Swansea.

The youngsters, aged 12-15, along with two youth workers from Youth Action Wiltshire, joined the Tall Ships Youth Trust aboard the 72ft Challenger 4 yacht for the second leg of its Round Britain Adventure.

They set off from Mayflower Marina in Plymouth on a five-night voyage onboard the 72ft yacht, famous for being sailed twice round the world as part of the Global Challenge Races.

During their trip they got involved in all aspects of sailing and crewing the boat, from steering to food preparation, maintenance and cleaning. They were guided by the trust's professionally trained crew members, who work with young people to increase their practical life skills as well as develop their personal and social skills.

“It was an amazing adventure” said Kieran, 15. “Highlights for me were seeing the seals at Lundy Island and waking up early to watch the sun rise over the water. I’m trying to get on a future trip I loved it so much!”

Assistant head teacher Marek Koza said: “Kieran has returned from this experience absolutely buzzing. It’s clear that this was a transformational adventure, one that has done wonders for his self-belief and outlook on life.”

The Challenger fleet of yachts are exceptionally strong and seaworthy, designed to race around the world the wrong way, against the prevailing wind and tide. Built in 2000, they can take a maximum of 18 crew.

Head of Youth Action Wiltshire Steve Crawley, said: “We are extremely grateful to everyone who made this fantastic adventure possible. It offers a unique opportunity for young people accessing our Splash and Wiltshire Young Carers Services to develop confidence, teamwork and leadership skills and create memories that will last a lifetime.”

The Tall Ships Youth Trust is the UK’s oldest and largest youth development sail training charity, with a focus on working with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. It has been providing young people with life-changing experiences at sea for 66 years.

Youth development and volunteer manager Chas Cowell said: “We were excited to welcome the young people onboard for this special voyage, especially after the setbacks caused by the pandemic, which have meant we’ve not been able to run this tour for the past two years. This has exacerbated some of the difficulties many young people were already facing and now need extra support for.”