Waterlooville Probus Group met at The Chairmakers recently to have their usual three course meal and hear a talk from Peter Yeoman on the Lively Lady project. Fair to say that most members had never heard of this project before the day.

Peter explained that the project started some time ago and allowed some 28 young disadvantaged children from the Portsmouth area to volunteer to help sail Alec Rose’s old boat, Lively Lady on a round the world trip. The kids would have to raise the expenses money themselves (legally!!) and each would have to provide £1000 to pay for their passage. I won’t go into the methods they used to raise this money but suffice it to say that several were most inventive! The trip would work out by two at a time flying to wherever the boat was and relieving the previous two. The boat was captained at all times by two qualified adults. The boat went from England to Newfoundland, down to the Panama Canal and into the Pacific. Then up the West coast of the USA before setting off across the Pacific to Australia via Hawaii. Then across to the African shore line where great precautions were taken to avoid Somali pirates!! Then on up the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal and so on home through the Mediterranean.

There were 14 stop-off points where the children were exchanged. Most of the children did really well and came home better people and able to land jobs in Portsmouth which otherwise might have been hard.

The project continues with the planning for another trip.

Waterlooville Probus Club meets in The Chairmakers every second Tuesday for a meal and a talk. To find out more please contact Colin Cox at 023 9259 4112 or Tony Rice-Oxley on 023 9226 3576.

Winter and Lent Edition 2015

Waterlooville Probus Club