ASTO / UK Sail Training

Sail Training careers - one of the roles of ASTO is to support our member organisations and one way that we do that is to post job vacancies on our website. If you’re in sailing or sail training and looking for a role, just want to keep in touch with the job market or maybe know someone in that position, then check out our jobs page. We currently have a range of great opportunities. The Sea Cadets (MSSC) are looking for a Yacht Skipper for their 42’ yachts, a Bosun on TS Royalist and a cook on one of their power vessels.?Gordonstoun are looking for an Assistant Operations & Training Manager and for seasonal Watch Leaders. https://lnkd.in/emX6_pwt

ASTO is extremely proud to share that its Chair of Trustees, Mark Todd, has been invited to become a Younger Brother of Trinity House .? ? Becoming a Younger Brother is a reflection of Mark's dedication and commitment to sail training over the last 25 years. His enthusiasm and passion for the difference adventure at sea can make has directly and indirectly impacted the lives of many of those involved in the sail training community.?? ? As Chair of ASTO's trustees, Mark has worked alongside Trinity House for a number of years as part of the?Trinity House bursary programme which enables employed and volunteer Sail Trainers to improve their professional skills through RYA or MCA approved courses.

Last Thursday 30th January at their annual UK Sail Training Conference, ASTO announced the retirement of its President, Rear Adm John Lang, following 22 years of dedicated service. He leaves behind a significant legacy of impact and advocacy during his time at the membership organisation for sail training charities in the UK. After a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, which included being captain of surface ships and also a nuclear submarine, John became Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents at the MAIB. On retiring from the MAIB, Rear Adm Lang was approached by the then Chair of ASTO, Ron Dadswell and Secretary James Stevens, and subsequently accepted the role of President in 2003, just a few years after the charity received its significant bequest from adventure writer Ralph Hammond Innes. “That early meeting was instrumental in my accepting the invitation and the beginning of a long and extraordinarily rewarding relationship with the sail training community, populated with some of the most dedicated and contented people I have ever met. There is no precedent for the length of time a President should serve but I feel the time has come for me to stand aside and let someone else assume the role. I have witnessed ASTO move from being an all-volunteer organisation to employing a general manager and now chief executive. I was present for the first Small Ships Race and the first conference. I watched in admiration the way ASTO helped the sail training community survive the ravages of Covid and was thrilled to play a part in seeking the agreement of HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh to be our Patron. “As a Younger Brother of Trinity House I have enjoyed being part of the link between the two worlds and am proud of both the ASTO Trinity House bursary scheme and the Hammond Innes Bursary programme. As the last personal link to the Hammond Innes family, I know I leave ASTO in good hands and wish the Association and all its members continued success for the future.” ASTO's Chief Executive Kerry McMillan commented: “John’s unstinting support for sail training, for our members and their beneficiaries, allied with his graciousness and keen insights have been the hallmarks of an outstanding presidency and we shall miss that. The whole sail training community wishes Rear Adm Lang all the best and expresses gratitude for his years of service.” Mark Todd, Chair of ASTO’s Trustees added:?“We are lucky to have had John as our President, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him over all these years in whatever capacity I’ve had, but moreover, I am so grateful to count you as a good friend. You leave us in a better place and we are thrilled that you have accepted the position of Vice President for Life.” The Board of Trustees have begun the search for Rear Adm Lang’s successor.

Definitely worth taking some time to review and complete the public consultation.

An inspiring day at the ASTO / UK Sail Training Conference! Today British Marine had the privilege of connecting with the many incredible not-for-profit organisations dedicated to sail training - each making a profound impact on young lives. It was a fantastic opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and celebrate the transformative power of sail training. At the conference, British Marine’s?Edward Tuite, Head of Technical Services, led an insightful session on?The New Sport and Pleasure Code. #SailTrainingChangesLives?#SailTraining?#YouthDevelopment?#MarineIndustry

Huge thanks to Olly Tracey ?? from On Screen Creations for all his dedication and patience in producing the first in a series of films celebrating the incredible work of our members, and to ASTO’s fantastic patron, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh for all her continued support. https://lnkd.in/eqNnj4Us

ASTO’s Chief Executive Kerry McMillan and Chair of Trustees, Mark Todd welcomed 150 delegates to the annual UK Sail Training conference?at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard today. Record breaking Heather Thomas delivered a fantastic keynote speech to a broad audience made of sea staff, member charity trustees and representatives from the sail training and wider marine sector. The 2025 Conference also included sessions covering everything from Diversity and Inclusion, supporting the wellbeing of young people who sail with us, and the importance of using social media film effectively. Our thanks go to our fabulous speakers and workshop leaders @Heather Thomas, Skipper, Maiden Captain Louise Sara MNM, Kristy Dawson, and Rosy Elestone, Carnival Corporation, James Davies FCMI, RYA Roy Beal, Keep Britain Tidy and Clean Jurassic Coast CIC, Chris West, Solent Mind Mark Thompson Senior Master Mariner, HFW Faber Whitehouse, Chloe Buchanan MCIPR and Kimmi Scadgell from The MTM Agency. Sue Geary and Jim Whittaker, Tall Ships Youth Trust ASTO also unveiled its new film featuring our patron, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh who met the young people participating in the Guernsey to Poole Small Ships Race last summer. The passage race was inspired by the RNLI’s 200th Anniversary and brought 130 young people sailing onboard 13 member vessels. A huge thank you to Portsmouth Historic Quarter for their support with the venue that allows us to make this great conference financially accessible to all of our members. Click here to view – https://lnkd.in/eqNnj4Us

Great to be here at the ASTO / UK Sail Training Conference at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard today, getting ready for our seminar this afternoon on social film. Tanya Brookfield Kerry McMillan Faber Whitehouse Kimmi Scadgell

We’ve dedicated 2 sessions today helping our members look at the MCA Consultation on the draft Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport and Pleasure Regulations. This has huge implications for our sector and its vital that our members understand its implications and make representations to the MCA by Feb 25th A huge thanks to British Marine and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) helping guide us through this . ASTO / UK Sail Training conference https://lnkd.in/eMNwGye6

And we start the ASTO / UK Sail Training conference and what a great start ! Our first speaker Heather Thomas. Heather you may know is utterly incredible- the first British female Skipper to win a round the world sailing race , with the first female crew to win an around the world race. All done on the tremendous Tracy Edward’s boat Maiden. But what makes Heather truly special is her story, starting as a dinghy sailor but also as a young person sailing with one of U.K. Sail Training members OYT North which provided the basis for her success today . Her story is one that will inspire our members and the young crews we take to sea for years to come. #sailtowellbeing #sailtrainingchangeslives #maidenfactor #maiden