A crew of ten young people recovering from psychosis and NHS staff embarked on a sailing expedition from Whitehaven to Glasgow.
Part of ‘Voyage to Recovery’, the opportunity was offered to young people receiving support from Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW). EIP is a service dedicated to providing care for those who have experienced a first episode of psychosis.
Service users and staff worked together to sail the boat and help with aspects of daily living such as cooking and cleaning.
The crew sailed from Whitehaven across the Irish Sea to Belfast, before visiting some of the Scottish islands and finishing in Glasgow.
This is the second year CNTW has taken part in the voyage, which is facilitated by the Cirdan Sailing Trust, a non-profit organisation who support young people across the UK to access adventure therapy in the form of living and working on large sailing boats.
The voyage would not have been possible without generous funding from the Sir James Knott Fund and CNTW’s own charity SHINE.
Most of the crew had never sailed before and didn’t know what to expect before stepping on the vessel.
One service user said it was the best time they’d had in a long time.
One of the crew reflected: “It was amazing to wake up in a new country after journeying there in a sailing boat. I enjoyed the opportunity to explore new places, on and offshore.”
The team faced some choppy seas on their journey and another young person said: “There’s nothing like a bit of rough sea on a boat to make one realise how truly fragile us humans can be against forces of nature.”
Another added: “I cannot begin to describe all the emotions felt on the voyage. The thrill, joy, accomplishment and pride, fear and anxiety, serenity and bliss, closeness and vulnerability. It truly was a remarkable adventure.”
Another spoke of how unforgettable their experience was, saying it was a mix of challenge, adventure, teamwork and camaraderie. “It offered a unique opportunity to gain insight, broaden perspectives, and to connect with both people and nature.”
The trip enabled participants to connect with others who have similar lived experiences of psychosis, which can be an isolating and stigmatising experience.
One service user reflected: “It was lovely to get to spend time with other people who have experienced psychosis. We were able to share our stories and could really relate to each other and what we’ve been through.”
Thanks to our incredible funders, CNTW will be taking part in the Voyage to Recovery in 2025, where another ten service users and five staff members will be setting off on this once in a lifetime experience.
Shawn, a service user on the boat in 2023, returned as a veteran peer support staff member on this year’s trip. He is now volunteering for the Cirdan Sailing Trust to gain experience needed to train to become one of the professional crew members on future voyages, illustrating just how life changing the trip can be.
Shawn said: “The biggest thing that I took away from the ship is I don’t have to be isolated. You go onto the boat, and you meet all these ‘normal’ people that are all really cool and it’s like – you’re all like me. You’re all feeling the same way I’m feeling but what I’m seeing is someone I want to be pals with. It’s so big inside your head, this looming thing of psychosis, that you forget that to other people it’s fine, you’re allowed to live your story and you’re allowed to own it.”
The EIP Team have been doing lots of fundraising for SHINE, including running quizzes and doing sponsored walks. You can donate via the team’s JustGiving page.