Pelican of London started life as an Arctic fishing trawler in 1948 before being converted to a coaster for trading.

But in 1993, the 148ft ship was impounded after the crew were arrested for trafficking vodka from Finland.

She languished for two years in Norway, with no clear future or direction, until she was bought by Retired Commander Graham Neilson for restoration.

The work was carried out in Portland, Dorset, and took almost 12 years, before she sailed again with the charity, Seas Your Future.

This August, seven 16 and 17-year-olds from Lipson Co-operative Academy in Plymouth, will be crewing on the Pelican of London; all of them face disadvantages – mental, educational or financial.

It has all been made possible by retired Financial Times journalist and sailor, Dave Rushby, who is privately sponsoring all of the students.

He witnessed first hand the difference to young lives a voyage on the Pelican of London could make.

‘Having seen a change that took place in somebody that we knew on the boat, who went on Pelican totally lacking confidence and stuttering, to coming off not stuttering and with some degree of confidence in himself,  I thought, perhaps I should put half a dozen kids onto this boat,’ he explained.

The students will be taking part in citizen science programmes, like systematic plastic surveys on beaches. Credit: Seas Your Future

‘The children are being given an opportunity they would not otherwise have access to because of their educational or domestic backgrounds being limited in some way. It just struck me that if I could put kids on this boat, and one of them came off and moved forwards, then that would be brilliant.’

Students at Lipson Co-operative Academy had to write a short application about why they wanted to sail on the ship, and what they would gain from the experience ahead of being chosen for the 12-14 day voyage, which will leave from Dublin on 25 August 2022.

The plan is to sail towards the Hebrides, if weather allows.

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