Ancasta Group supports Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust

The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and Hamble-based yacht sales and service firm Ancasta Group have partnered to help young people living through and beyond cancer.

The Cowes/Largs-based Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is a sailing charity that offers sailing and adventure trips to young people aged eight to 24 who are recovering from cancer.

More than 2,830 young people from across the UK have sailed with the Trust since its launch by history-making yachtswoman MacArthur in 2003. But currently the charity can only support one in every ten young people it could each year.

To help more young people benefit from the Trust support, for every new boat sold, Ancasta will now donate the cost for one young person to go on a four-day sailing adventure with the Trust for the first time. Ancasta will also support the charity through team fundraising, volunteering, and awareness-raising activities.

“Having witnessed the wonderful work the Trust does, and met a number of the young people they support, we are delighted to assist in giving more young people access to this wonderful and immensely productive programme,” says Nick Griffith, Ancasta Group managing director.

“All the team at Ancasta, along with our clients and suppliers, are very proud to be involved with the Trust. Hopefully Ancasta’s involvement will encourage others to get involved in helping the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust achieve its admirable target of doubling the number of young people they can get on the water.”

Ancasta and the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust have a history of working together.

Following the advice and support of Ancasta, in 2016 and 2017 the Trust launched two specially adapted Beneteau Oceanis 45s — Caledonian Hero and Solent Hero – to make sailing more accessible for young people, especially those who live with mobility and sensory challenges from their treatment and surgery. The work to adapt the boats was undertaken by Ancasta Yacht Services in Hamble.

Last year, 519 young people enjoyed a Trust sailing or outdoor adventure. By the end of 2025, the Trust says it aims to double the number of young people it supports in one year, to work with almost 17 per cent of all young people it could.

Frank Fletcher, Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust CEO, says: “In March, our Ambitions 2023-25 will be launched with the aim to be accessible to all young people who have a cancer diagnosis in the UK and have the biggest impact possible on every one of them.

“Knowing we have Ancasta’s support towards achieving these ambitions is really significant. On behalf of all the young people we support I want to thank Nick and the team for their commitment and passion to inspiring even more young people to believe in a brighter future living through and beyond cancer.”