Our Partnerships

Seafarers UK offers financial support in the training of future leaders of large commercial yachts who would otherwise not be able to access it.

Seafarers UK  supports selected Cadetship places at UKSA, providing significant funding to successful individuals and helping them into maritime careers.

Edmiston and UKSA partner to launch the Edmiston Foundation & Inclusivity Programme

Edmiston, one of the world’s leading yachting companies, and UKSA have launched The Edmiston Foundation to provide young people, especially those in the most underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, with the opportunity to forge a career within the maritime industry and thereby working to address the lack of diversity within the Superyacht industry.

Young men and women from minority communities and low socio-economic groups, particularly those living in inner city areas, are less likely to participate in outdoor and maritime activities, and this inevitably has a knock-on effect in terms of the representation of people from these groups working in the maritime sector.

The Edmiston Foundation will deliver training and education opportunities devised and run by the UKSA for more than 200 young people per year; with a five year goal of seeing 1,180 people move through the programme.

Specifically, it will focus on two distinct initiatives:

1. employment opportunities for young people within the maritime sector, and
2. environmental initiatives, specifically relating to the Ocean.

Activity will commence in October 2020 when the initial selection of students will attend an initial 5-day UKSA Sea Change Foundation course, offering introduction to and practical learning in relation to future careers in Maritime. Students will also have the opportunity to apply for places on the Edmiston Superyacht Crew Training Programme to be delivered in Spring 2021. This bespoke careers training programme, created and delivered by UKSA for Edmiston will mirror the standard 3-week Crew Training Course but with additional modules including industry familiarisation, cultural integration and career development, expanding it to a 5-week programme in total.

It also includes an outreach programme which will see UKSA working with partners like The Prince’s Trust to raise awareness of the training and employment opportunities that the maritime sector can offer young people from all backgrounds.

The Foundation aims to partner with leaders in their respective fields, supporting these initiatives via fund raising and wider awareness.

You can help more than 200 young people each year by supporting The Edmiston Foundation by donating below:

The Isle of Wight College has a national reputation for providing outstanding teaching and learning and has many first-class facilities. Our Further Education programmes, run with the College, offer young people opportunities to begin a career in sailing and watersports.

WightFibre chose to support UKSA as part of their corporate social responsibility plans and has been a corporate partner for over 8 years supporting our Test The Water programme for Year 6 school children on the Isle of Wight.

UKSA have been the beneficiary charity of the Star Wars Premiere on the Island, organised by WightFibre and the company also supports the charity through pro-bono or reduced cost communications services.

WightFibre’s CEO John Irvine –

“As a local, Isle of Wight based company, WightFibre tries to give back to our community where we can. UKSA is an important charity which helps many young people on the Island, as well as further afield, and because of this WightFibre has supported UKSA over many years”.

The Hut is a restaurant that delivers an unrivalled passion for simple yet delicious food, in a relaxed, beach-front location with stunning views.

They are raising money for ‘Polly’s Challenge’, a programme run by UKSA for local children, in memory of Polly Birch, a much loved vet, sailor, mum, sister, daughter and friend, who loved adventure and wanted to encourage other people to go out and experience the world.

The Hut is raising funds for UKSA and disadvantaged Isle of Wight children by adding a discretionary donation of £2 to each lunch and dinner bill.

Aberdeen Standard Investments have supported UKSA and its Test the Water programme.

Martin Gilbert, Chairman of Aberdeen Standard Investments –

“We, at Aberdeen are all very proud, UKSA is a great charity to get behind. They take people from all walks of life, all backgrounds and help them develop into rounded individuals”.

We’re always on the lookout for new businesses to support our work. Whether you’ve been inspired by what we do and want to fundraise for us, your company wants to organise a volunteer day and is looking for a local charity to partner with, or you’re organising an event and would like to donate the proceeds to UKSA, we’d love to hear from you.

Could you make a real difference to the children and young people we work with?

Find out more