jellyellie has always been a fan of the outdoors, adventure, and the sea. In October 2005 she had her first real taste of yacht sailing when she undertook an RYA Competent Crew 5-day practical sailing course in the Solent, alongside her father taking his RYA Day Skipper, the next qualification up.

jellyellie was hooked from then. She just loves the whole lifestyle; you have to be so self-sufficient, conservative with everything - you soon find out 8 litres of water a day each isn't much. Trying to coerce the last breath of wind into the sails; thrown into the chartroom at whatever time of day or night it is to fix your exact position on the chart every hour; clinging onto your binoculars, wishing dawn would break to help you make out the ships against the horizon; stumbling up on deck at 4am for yet another cold, wet watch having managed to snatch just an hour's sleep: pushing yourself to your physical and mental limits. But then there's the teamwork, the comradeship, the personal journey every single member of crew goes through. And there's the learning - about geography, meteorology, science, navigation. Theory and practical, hand in hand, learning through experience under the guiding hand and watchful eye of your skipper.

In April 2007 jellyellie's father raised funding for 23 young people from their local home education group - including jellyellie - to go on a teambuilding voyage with The Cirdan Sailing Trust. Cirdan take groups of young people who tend to be socially or physically disadvantaged on such voyages, putting each teenager through a personal journey that seems them emotionally and physically challenged, inspiring higher levels of self-esteem and self-confidence, self-discipline, and instilling a sense of teamwork.

jellyellie absolutely loved every single minute she spent at sea on her voyage with Cirdan, and much to her joy her skipper asked her back as a volunteer later in the summer. jellyellie was at sea for six weeks, gained her RYA Watch Leader qualification, and at times was asked to take sole charge of the boat on watch during the night. In those weeks, alongside the other professional crew, jellyellie worked with and helped advise five different groups of young people with behavioural or anti-social problems. In all cases jellyellie witnessed the positive and bonding impact, and the fantastic difference sail training has on the lives of young people.

jellyellie felt right at home with Cirdan and immediately made her presence felt in the organisation, least by being the only volunteer to be invited to the end-of-season meal.

She is keen to continue working with Cirdan and has already presented in a professionally-shot video to be shown to young people about to embark on their own voyage with the Trust.

jellyellie is keen to continue her passion for sailing, particularly in the area of youth sail training, and is going to make time each season to volunteer with Cirdan and other similar trusts.

She has applied for a bursary from ASTO, the Association of Sail Training Organisations, to help her continue working her way up the RYA qualifications ladder; her ultimate goal is to be a skipper.

jellyellie, ever the entrepreneur, is also keen to start and run a business in the sailing industry. She currently has a master idea which is top-secret to the public at the moment, but if you may be in the position to help or advise jellyellie in any way - whether you are an entrepreneur yourself, keen sailor, maritime professinal or simply want to give jellyellie some investment backing in the form of quite a few thousand pounds (in which case yes please) - please get in touch with jellyellie.