More royal recognition for Regatta
The Falmouth-Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Regatta fleet was joined by boating royalty yesterday (Sunday 7 September) when Her Majesty the Queen’s row barge, Gloriana, led a Royal Pageant up the River Thames from Maritime Greenwich.
Surrounded by an escort of Watermen’ cutters, gigs ,skiffs and Skerries the flotilla past and saluted the moored Tall Ships at Greenwich Old Royal Naval College. Following this special ceremonial event the Trinity 500 Challenge race began with a flotilla of boats raced in two divisions across the Thames.
Today (Monday 8 September) is the penultimate day of the five day festival before the Tall Ships fleet leave Royal Greenwich tomorrow in a glorious parade along the River Thames. Visitor numbers have been exceptional, but are expected to be lighter today following a packed weekend, so it’s the ideal day to visit one of the tall ship exhibitions or visit one of the Tall Ship fleet across the four different sites – Maritime Greenwich, Greenwich Peninsula, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich and Wood Wharf, Canary Wharf.
News from around the port
* Celebrating the oldest vessel in the fleet
The oldest vessel in the Falmouth – Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Regatta 2014, Leila (UK) was given a commemorative stamp to mark her participation in the event at Royal Greenwich.
Leila was built in 1892 and gained prestige when she won the Round Britain Race in 1904. In 2008 the ship was discovered in a state of disrepair and begun a five year, £180,000 restoration – funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the National Historic Ships Register. The ship has now been completely restored and takes young people to sea from Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth.
She has two autistic trainees on board, setting a great example for sail training.
Free berth
F Wilkinson of Charlton is the mysterious figure who originally built Leila in 1892, but very little is known about his motivations to do so, or his history as a sailor. In a bid to find out more about the vessel anyone with historical information about F Wilkinson of Charlton will win a free berth on the Parade of Sail down the Thames on Tuesday 9 September – contact Leila via their website www.leila2c.org
About the stamp
Greenwich Hospital commissioned designers to make the stamp for Leila to mark the occasion of one of her first voyages since being restored. Chris McAlees and Davd Millie run a stall at the Greenwich Market and their company The Stamp Makers carried out the work to make the stamp a reality.
Captain David Beaven of Leila said, äóìIt’ great to have a stamp – it’ loved by stamp collectors and watch leaders use it to stamp certificates of achievement for our trainees.äó
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Photo: Valery Vasilevskiy
For further information contact Sally Titmus, Communications and Marketing Manager, Sail Training International on +44 (0)23 9258, sally.titmus@sailtraininginternational.org
About Sail Training International (STI)
STI is the international voice of Sail Training, a registered charity (not-for-profit organisation), which has worldwide membership and activities. Its Designpurpose is the development and education of young people through the Sail Training experience, regardless of nationality, culture, religion, gender or social bac
