The Cirdan Sailing Trust’s Voyage to Recovery has been running for many years. The Voyage to Recovery is a therapeutic sailing adventure designed to support individuals recovering from psychosis. This unique experience harnesses the power of sailing to promote teamwork, resilience, and personal growth, all while exploring the open sea.
Each year, Faramir and her crew circumnavigate the UK with different NHS Early Intervention in Psychosis teams from across the country supporting them on different legs of the trip. The project takes people away from a clinical setting and immerses them into a whole new environment in the great outdoors.
Feedback form the NHS Trust that completed the Oban to Peterhead leg via the Caledonian Canal:
On behalf of TEWV Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Service, our clients, and staff, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude for your generous funding of the Voyage to Recovery sailing programme.
Your support has enabled our clients to participate in an experience that has had a profound and lasting impact on their recovery journeys. For many individuals living with mental health challenges, opportunities such as this can feel beyond reach. Our clients have been able to step outside their comfort zones, discover new strengths, and achieve things they never believed possible.
The benefits we have witnessed have been remarkable. Clients have reported significantly increased confidence and self-belief, with many returning from the voyage feeling more capable of facing challenges in their daily lives. The experience of learning new sailing skills, working as part of a crew, and taking on responsibilities aboard the ship has helped individuals develop resilience, independence, and a renewed sense of achievement.
We have also seen a reduction in anxiety levels among participants. Being immersed in a supportive environment, away from everyday pressures, has allowed clients to build coping skills, break down barriers and learn to trust again.
One of the most valuable outcomes has been the friendships and social connections formed during the voyage. Clients who previously experienced isolation have developed meaningful relationships with their peers and crew members, creating supportive networks that I’m sure will continue long after the voyage has ended as we have witnessed in previous years.
The impact of the programme had been so significant that some participants had chosen to remain on board for a second week as volunteers and signed up to the Cirdan fellowship. Some even went onto for a third week. This willingness to give back, support others, and continue developing their skills speaks volumes about the positive influence the experience has had on their confidence, motivation, and personal growth.
Your investment has not only part funded the voyage; it has helped create life-changing experiences that support recovery, foster hope, and empower individuals to realise their potential. The memories, skills, friendships, and confidence gained through the Voyage to Recovery programme will continue to benefit our clients for many years to come.
Thank you for believing in the value of recovery-focused opportunities and for making such a meaningful difference to the lives of the people we support.
With sincere appreciation.
