The Lord Nelson and her sister ship Tenacious were owned by the Jubilee Sail Training Trust. Both were built to facilitate wheelchair users and people with abilities turning them into tall ship sailors for a week or two weeks. The trust got into financial difficulties through the build of the sister ship, Tenacious, and funding was sought but it was far from enough. There was no linkage to ‘Big Government’ with the Trust: they relied upon the goodwill of the giving public and other benefactors. It is a hard world out there!
Link to Lord Nelson’s Wikipedia page:
Reading between the lines the Jubilee Sailing Trust was a success until the advent of the second vessel. She operated for twenty-three years and completed over 1600 voyages with mixed ability crewing.
When on looks at the number of sail training ships that are maintained and operated by smaller (Less rich) countries around the world it is a sad reflection on how far the UK has dropped down the ladder. The sea and seafaring have absolutely no influence on the people of our once great seafaring trading nation.
The lack of sea knowledge is surely reflected in the tragic list of coastal beach incidents and deaths this past summer. Something that seems to grow year by year. I believe the relationship is real.
The link below tells of the Lord Nelson’s imminent departure from Barry Docks where she has been incarcerated for around seven years. The future of the Tenacious hangs in the balance…
The tall ship nearly sent for scrap is sailing again
The Lord Nelson was the last vessel constructed at Wivenhoe at Cook’s Shipyard. The area is now a housing complex with a semi-silted dock open to the river essentially used by a couple of local fishing vessels.
The organisation that has purchased to Lord Nelson plan to use her in Humanitarian work, campaigns against plastic pollution, plight of reefs and remote islands and sail training.
Full story can be read in the link:
One can only wish them well…