Dear Supporters

We’ve made it through another year despite all the challenges! 

Covid has had a profound impact on the sail training industry, and several unlucky organisations had to shut down temporarily. 

Like all heritage vessels Excelsior LT472 needs constant care, and we were fortunate indeed to have a loyal and devoted crew, who stuck by The Excelsior Trust to ensure that our remarkable Centenarian received the loving attention that she requires.

The day sails we were able to offer enabled us to take a group of young carers from Break Charity on a couple of trips as well as a party doing their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential Award on a voyage.

We are so very grateful to both the crew and all our lovely volunteers who never gave up and as a result Excelsior is looking in pretty good shape for next season! 

Local businesses displaying their maritime heritage work included:

The International Boatbuilding Training College

(maintaining traditional boatbuilding skills)

 CEFAS 

 Rope Making - Des Pawson

 Net Making - Alice Taylor

 Gansey Knitting - Jan Whitehead

 Books and Prints – Hugh Davies

 Ship’s Blacksmithing - John Mallett

 Fish smoking - Gerry Skews

 Another Angle Studio – Maria McNevin 

There were also musical performances by The Lowestoft Longshoremen and the excellent John Ward Trio.

Excelsior was open to the public and there was a constant queue of visitors wishing to look around the boat. The Maritime Heritage Fair attracted a significant attendance, estimated at being between 2,07981543460 many of whom had not been previously aware that Excelsior LT472 was Lowestoft’s heritage icon.

The funding we received from Covid Recovery enabled us to significantly raise our awareness, and publicity through local and social media resulted in far greater interest from the local Community. This has seen more locally based volunteers coming forward to get involved and an increase in the number of enquiries received to experience a trip on board this 100-year-old authentically restored Lowestoft Smack. 

The Trust welcomes:

First Mate Charlotte Hathaway joined us in the summer. 

Before coming to sailing, Charlotte worked for 10 years with young people - more specifically, in traditional music in Scotland. 

She found her love of sailing in the Caribbean where she had her own boat and sailed singlehanded round the region, before getting her Tickets and working on the charter boats, before going on to take her Yachtmaster in the UK.

Charlotte is passionate about ocean sailing and has crossed the Atlantic twice, north Atlantic once for some punishing heavy weather experience.

Alice Taylor joined us as a Trustee this year. 

Alice was born in Norwich but has lived all over the world and retired to her hometown of Lowestoft. 

She has trained and worked in Military Intelligence as a Russian language interceptor, in marketing and advertising, and as a lecturer in digital graphics, animation and video game design. She has a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration and is a qualified teacher in both the US and the UK. 

Mrs Taylor has worked in a variety of professional settings and has served on the Lowestoft Town Council and as the Mayor of Lowestoft. She is presently a Trustee in the Excelsior Trust and the Deputy Chair of Lowestoft Vision. 

Her hobbies include a deep interest in Art, Lowestoft maritime history, and the art and science of running a retail business.

2022 Plans

 Sailing Calendar

Thanks to the hard work of our Sales & Admin Manager Dawn Cooke we are delighted that we already have several weeks of bookings committed in 2022. Schools are beginning to return, highlighting the need to offer their students something positive to look forward to with the emphasis on improving their sense of well-being.

Centenary Smack Race

The Excelsior Centenary Smack Race had to be postponed this year because of worries over Covid, but The Trust are setting their sights on the event taking place on 30th July next year. We have invited all available historical, sailing, fishing vessels in the UK, Scandinavia and Europe to join us after The Tall Ships race arrives in Antwerp, where a feeder race to Lowestoft is being organised, to bring the vessels across The North Sea to Excelsior’s home port. 

 Seeing the vessels racing off Lowestoft Ness on Saturday 30th July should be a magnificent and memorable sight for all, and following the success of this year’s Maritime Fair, The Trust will be organising another public event on Lowestoft’s South Pier over the long weekend of the Smack Race, to celebrate Lowestoft’s fishing heritage.

 If you are the owner of an historic, sailing fishing vessel and you have not – by chance – received an entry form for The Smack Race please contact Mary George: marketing@excelsiortrust.co.uk

Friends of Excelsior

The Excelsior Trust has many friends, and we would like to welcome many more. The Trust would like to hear from anyone who would like to help co-ordinate and build ‘The Friends of Excelsior’ as a group to support Excelsior as we go forward. If you are interested to know more about how you can help, please contact Mary George: marketing@excelsiortrust.co.uk

Excelsior Chairman - Jamie Campell

Funding

During these turbulent times, there has been unprecedented government financial support available. Thanks to the hard work of Trustees and Management Committee members in putting together a comprehensive application, we were able to access the Covid Recovery funding. We continue to keep our eyes peeled for any grants available and our regular charitable Trusts remain supportive. We are eternally grateful to them all.

 With so much uncertainty still around, we had already taken the decision not to hold a Christmas social event. We are sure you will understand and hopefully we can all get together in 2022 in different and happier circumstances.

 May I take this opportunity to wish you all a peaceful and healthy Christmas and New Year.