A DOZEN autistic youngsters from Redcar went on a sailing trip with charity Ocean Youth Trust North.

Pupils and teachers from Kirkleatham Hall School took part on a five-day round trip from Newcastle to Arbroath, Scotland, giving them the chance to improve their team working and communication skills on OYT North’s sailing vessel the James Cook.

During the voyage, they were responsible for all aspects of running an ocean-going yacht, carrying out a variety of tasks from cooking and keeping watch on shifts, to setting the sails, tracking the boat’s course and dropping and raising anchor.

“The crew were fantastic at encouraging us all to participate and to learn about sailing,” said teacher, Heather James.

“We were also really lucky with good weather and saw lots of wildlife – I’ll always remember the seals, popping their heads out of the water to check what we were doing.”

Pupil Daniel Stringer said: “When it was time to leave the boat, we were all a bit sad as we would have liked it to last longer. It was an amazing experience and I would recommend anyone to try it out.”

Ocean Youth Trust North (OYT North) runs trips for young people from different backgrounds to boost their confidence and help broaden their horizons.

Middlesbrough-based fire protection specialist HE Woolley helped sponsor the trip and is now urging other businesses to get on board with sponsorship. It is spearheading a fundraising campaign to raise funds for further trips and possibly the purchase of a £6,000 second vessel for the charity.

Anyone interested in providing sponsorship, attending the event, or who requires further information, is asked to contact Steve Lennon, MD of Ocean Youth Trust North, on 0191 257 1212 or at steve.lennon@oytnorth.org.uk