ASTO

20/05/2026

Last week Matt & Vicky Barraud, together with Ann and John Badderly, attended His Majesty's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace as representatives of the Association of Sail Training Organisations. They were selected to attend in recognition of the contribution they have made within the wider sail training community.

Morvargh Sailing Project & Ocean Youth Trust Scotland

19/05/2026

Kerry McMillan, CEO of ASTO, recently shared her insights on youth collaboration in Charity Times magazine.

957,000 young people in the UK are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET). Behind that number are young people who are not being reached, and Kerry highlights how collaboration can maximise the impact of efforts across sectors and organisations.

In the article, she discusses how sail training is reaching young people who might otherwise be missed, and why the model developed through the Tall Ships Races in Aberdeen offers a blueprint for what genuine collaboration can achieve.

If you have a subscription to Charity Times, you can read the full article below:

Kerry McMillan: How collaboration is reshaping outcomes for young people 13/05/2026 The voluntary sector holds immense power to change lives—but only by working together can charities extend their reach and deepen their impact, Kerry McMillan, CEO of ASTO writes. __________________________________...

18/05/2026

Tough conversations are never easy, but Lindsay Bridges made them feel a lot more manageable.

Speaking at the ASTO UK Sail Training Conference, Lindsay drew on over two decades of international HR experience to explore how organisations can handle feedback and underperformance with both honesty and care.

Lindsay’s talk was engaging and full of lively discussions - thank you for sharing your insights with us all.

We caught up with Lindsay on the day - you can watch the video here. 🌊🛥️

07/05/2026

At ASTO's Sail Training Conference, we were delighted to welcome Myles Farnbank, Lecturer in Outdoor Learning, to speak at the event.

Myle’s work focuses on helping people reconnect with nature through the blue spaces they journey through.

A sailor, sea kayaker, and scuba diver himself, he has explored the growing science behind why time on or near saltwater benefits us, not just emotionally, but physiologically, and how sail training organisations can harness that understanding to add more value to every experience on the water.

Myle’s was also struck by the scale of the community gathered: "Seeing how big this community is, for them to come here, realise how many people are doing very similar things, and share best practice, is a really wonderful thing."

Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us, Myles.

Watch the full interview below!

⛴️🌊🧘

05/05/2026

Great to see in Cowes this weekend for Helen Mary R's 40th Birthday Celebrations - especially as they were flying their new ASTO member organisation flag! We can't wait to spot more of them throughtout the season!

29/04/2026

In a new interview with All At Sea, our CEO Kerry McMillan explains why sail training is about so much more than learning to sail. It is about building confidence, resilience, teamwork and life skills through adventure at sea.

Kerry also shares her own journey into the sector, the work ASTO is doing to support its member organisations, and why residential adventures at sea can be so powerful for young people and individuals with additional needs.

Read the full interview here:
https://www.allatsea.co.uk/features/shootin-the-breeze-kerry-mcmillan/

All at Sea chats to Kerry McMillan, CEO of the Association of Sail Training Organisations (ASTO). AAS: Can you tell us about the chance encounter that led to your career in the marine industry? KM: I had just completed an 18-week Yachtmaster course and was helping a friend on her yacht. Someone came...

17/04/2026

Real progress comes when philanthropy, government, communities, and charities work as one system. Pooling resources and aligning expertise allows us to move beyond short-term and focus on lasting impact.

If we genuinely want to support communities and young people across the UK, we need collaboration that is structured, sustained, and built on shared responsibility.

This perspective strongly reflects the direction set out in the Government’s latest plans to build closer partnerships and a more joined-up impact economy.

Read the full story below.

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15/04/2026

09/04/2026

Know a young person aged 15 to 25 living in an AB postcode? Let them know about this great opportunity to take part in this year's Tall Ships Races as part of Team Aberdeen. Applications close next Thursday.

Young people across Aberdeen are being encouraged to have the adventure of a lifetime and apply to become sail trainees as part of this years' Tall Ships Races!

The sail trainee programme is recruiting 12 fully funded and 4 self-funded sail trainees to take part in this year's Races, sailing aboard the historic vessel Swan.

Young people aged 15-25 years who live within an AB postcode are eligible to apply, and no previous sailing experience is required.

Interested? Learn more at: https://www.tallshipsaberdeen.com/news-hub/call-for-young-people-to-become-2026-tall-ships-sail-trainees/

Aberdeen City Council Aberdeen Inspired

03/04/2026

Great opportunity for young people 15-25 living in an AB postcode to join Tall Ships - do you know someone who would love this? Let them know.

Young people across Aberdeen are being encouraged to have the adventure of a lifetime and apply to become sail trainees as part of this years' Tall Ships Races!

The sail trainee programme is recruiting 12 fully funded and 4 self-funded sail trainees to take part in this year's Races, sailing aboard the historic vessel Swan.

Young people aged 15-25 years who live within an AB postcode are eligible to apply, and no previous sailing experience is required.

Interested? Learn more at: https://www.tallshipsaberdeen.com/news-hub/call-for-young-people-to-become-2026-tall-ships-sail-trainees/

Aberdeen City Council Aberdeen Inspired