Rotary and Windeward Bound announce expansion of Youth Development Program Partnership - Governor of Tasmania to set new sail for youth
View WIN News report here
The Windeward Bound Trust has been running Award Winning Youth Development programs with the support of, and in partnership with the Rotary Clubs of Rotary District 9830 in Tasmania, for the last 30 years, and today we are collectively celebrating the expansion of that support to cover the entire East Coast of Australia.
“People of Action" is a slogan used by Rotary International to describe its members. It reflects the organization's emphasis on taking action to make a positive impact in the world. Rotary members are indeed "People of Action" because they:
Take action to address local and global challenges
Volunteer their time and skills to make a difference
Collaborate with others to achieve common goals
Invest in projects and programs that benefit communities
Inspire and empower others to take action
By being "People of Action", Rotary members demonstrate their commitment to service, leadership, and positive change.
“The Windeward Bound Trust is very proud of its 30 year long association with Rotary, both in Tasmania and interstate.
Rotary Clubs and their Members everywhere have a strong focus on youth and youth development, and have actively supported Windeward Bound’s award winning programs since before the Windeward Bound was launched 28 years ago.
The 2023 series of voyages from Hobart to Gladstone and back, That celebrated100 years of Rotary in Queensland were very successful, and significantly lifted both the understanding of what sail training is about, and recognition of the benefits and changes it brings to the young participants.
As a result of that voyage, in an initiative led by the then District Governor of District 9620, Paul Rogers, The District Governors of 8 Eastern Australian Districts worked together to contribute the funds to pay for a new Upper Topsail for Windeward Bound, emblazoned with the Rotary Logo
The Rotary District Governors who contributed to the new sail are:
9560 – Prathapan Sabaratman
9620 – Paul Roger
9640 – David Harmon
9675 – Tonia Barnes
9685 – Christine Owen
9705 – Andrea Grosvenor
9780 – Ian McKay
9830 – Mike Patten
This Sail is one of the ship’s primary working sails, and this gesture by Rotary demonstrates to the world the strength of the partnership between the Rotary Clubs of Eastern Australia and the Windeward Bound Trust. Although Windeward Bound is very firmly Tasmanian based, the success of the 2023 Australian Mainland Winter voyages has demonstrated a need for, and an acceptance of, her programs and the results of those programs on the young Australians participating. The areas covered by these 8 Rotary districts is the entire East Coast of Australia and ranges from Tasmania in the south to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in the North. To this end, Windeward Bound will be sailing North again next winter, proudly using her new Upper Topsail and proudly promoting Rotary to the East Coast of Australia. This, Ladies and Gentlemen, is “The Magic of Rotary”
We sincerely thank HER EXCELLENCY THE HONOURABLE BARBARA BAKER AC, GOVERNOR OF TASMANIA, for graciously setting sail at our launch event on Wednesday, July 10th. Special thanks to Rotary for their generous support in funding the sail, and to the dedicated crew for their meticulous preparation and attachment to our upper topsail yard
First Mate Suz preparing sail for first set
volunteers chloe and tom Attaching the sail to our topasail yard in port
2023 East Coast Rotary Voyages
Arrival back in Hobart 15/10/23The welcome of the Windeward Bound home as 17 young Tasmanians arrive from their eleven-day sailing adventure, from Devonport to Hobart. This voyage is the last leg of the ship’s six months long expedition up the East coast of Australia in partnership with Rotary International celebrating 100 years of Rotary in Australia. Comprising 11 voyages in total, and totalling more than 3,400 Nautical Miles, they have given over 192 young Australians, including some from refugee backgrounds, a life-changing leadership experience.
See Win News here
ABC Compass 11th June 2023
It's official! Our documentary Turning the Tide, produced with Roar Film is screening on ABC Compass , Sunday 11th June at 6.30pm.
Popcorn please!
HUGE Thanks to Captain Sarah Parry@ STV Windeward Bound for letting us tell this story, all the youth crew participants, and Launceston College - Tasmania, Australia for allowing us to find the beginnings of this journey in the EAL department.
Thanks to Screen Australia and Screen Tasmania for helping us bring this to life.
Captain Sarah Parry takes a group of culturally diverse teenagers on a life-affirming ten day voyage at sea aboard the ‘Windeward Bound’, the tall-ship she built in lutruwita/ Tasmania.
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/compass/series/37/video/RN2211H013S00
WinTv 4th april 2023
Link to the video
2023 Youth Challenge Media
Micheal Garrard’s voyage 11 sailing trainee ABC interview
How Sarah built a tall ship - ABC
Sarah Parry is one of the few people in the world to ever build a full sized tall ship from scratch.
In 1965, Sarah was a young sailor in the Australian Navy when she saw the New Endeavour sailing in Sydney Harbour, and from that moment she knew she wanted to build her own square rigger.
Decades later, in Tasmania, with the help of the local community in Hobart, she began to realise her vision. The project to build the 33-metre vessel began, using recycled timber from scuttled ships and a 19th century plan.
While building the ship, Sarah realised it was time to confront a part of her own story which had troubled her since she was a child.
Meanwhile the ship grew and grew, and so did the volunteer labour force. Many of them were kids from Hobart who had found themselves in trouble with the law.
In 1996, the Windeward Bound set sail. More than 200 people had helped to build her. Since then, the ship has sailed more than 100 000 nautical miles and has circumnavigated Australia. The scholarship program run on board has also turned out 41 Ship's Masters.
