Pindar and the UKSA

Scholarship scheme on offer involving a three year cadetship at premier sailing school

Students from Scarborough are being given the opportunity of a lifetime as part of a pioneering new sailing initiative launched today. Pindar, the Scarborough-based printing company, who has had a long term involvement in yachting has now teamed up with the United Kingdom Sailing Academy (UKSA) to give students from the Scarborough region the chance to win a groundbreaking three year sailing scholarship.

The prize that is on offer to four lucky students will be a three year cadetship with the UKSA, the world's premier sailing academy, as part of their world renowned sailing and schools programme. As part of its Scholarship Programme, the UKSA will give students a combination of location training and work placements as well as help and advice on the career paths that become available to them on completion of the three years. This joint venture has also been designed as part of the ongoing commitment of Scarborough businesses to the regeneration of maritime interest in the region over the coming years.

The initiative, which is aimed at school leavers from three schools in the Scarborough region - The Pindar School, Scarborough College and the Yorkshire Coast College, will put students through a rigorous selection process. Firstly students have all been asked to write an article explaining why they want to be selected. From their answers, each of the schools has then put forward 26 students who will take part in a day of team building, games and tasks before a final 40 are chosen.

The 40 finallists will be sent to UKSA based in Cowes, Isle of Wight where they will take part in a week long residential course. As a result of this week four lucky winners will be chosen to embark on a life changing, three year scholarship. As part of the programme, two other students will also be given the chance to sail on a leg of the inaugural voyage of the restored Gipsy Moth IV, the yacht that was famously sailed solo around the world by Sir Francis Chichester in 1966-67.

The initiative has been headed up by Tom Pindar, former Chairman and lifetime president of Pindar who is also a "Friend of the Academy"

Pindar's involvement with sailing began in 1999 when the company agreed a sponsorship of the British yachtswoman Emma Richards, and with Pindar's backing, Emma has gone on to become one of the world's leading sailors. In May 2003 she became the first woman to complete Around Alone, a 28,000 mile solo round-the-world race, and was awarded an MBE for her achievements.

Tom Pindar commented: "This is a fantastic opportunity for students from Scarborough. We are delighted that UKSA have agreed to make this initiative a reality and are giving students chances like this, which do not come along very often. The UKSA has facilities and a reputation that is second to none and there could be no better place for these students to gain these fantastic experiences and qualifications. Pindar, both the family and the company are committed to the community in which we live and work and I am delighted we are doing something that puts something back at grass roots level. I am greatly looking forward to watching the selection process and the coming three years and I wish all the candidates the best of luck."

David Green, Chief Executive of the UKSA, commented, " The UKSA are delighted to be working with Pindar in the Scarborough region to raise the aspirations of young people, give them the opportunity to become involved in the sport of sailing and broaden their horizons. It is also a fantastic opportunity to re-kindle the maritime traditions in Scarborough and to give young people from the region the opportunity to restore thier links with the sea.

UKSA trains over 60,000 day persons a year for the yachting industry, many of whom go on to work on some of the most prestigious yachts in the world. The combination of activity weeks at the UKSA, the career opportunities and the chance to sail on board Gipsy Moth IV is the first scheme of this kind to be launched in Britain. We hope this project will be ongoing in future years and that we can make a difference to the regeneration of Scarborough and inspire more young people to consider a 'Life at Sea'"