Plenty of hard work for the Tall Ships team
GOOD WORK SO FAR AND THERE’S MORE TO COME
There’s the programme of recruiting volunteers for next year’s Sunderland event and there’s the matter of getting ambassadors involved in the sail training programme.
It is a massive programme of work but in Michelle Daurat, the city has an experienced pair of hands. Michelle was the project director when Hartlepool hosted the final leg of the 2010 Tall Ships Races.
It saw almost 60 ships and just under one million people come to town, but Sunderland is Michelle’s home town and she is relishing the challenge ahead.
“There might be choppy waters ahead,” she said, “but hopefully it will be plain sailing with a fair wind.
“We are up for the challenge.”
As well as a spectacular line up of ships at the port and on the river, there will be so much more for the people of the north east to enjoy once the races do start.
There will be arts, live events, five tall ships sites to visit and a whole programme of daily fun, including the incredible parade of sail when all of the ships in the races will leave Sunderland under full sail.
Officials have told people to expect a “captivating programme of entertainment and cultural activity” to be delivered across the four days of the Sunderland leg of the races, from July 11 to 14 next year.
You can follow the progress in the Sunderland Echo, on its website and Facebook pages, and at https:// www.facebook.com/TallShipsRacesSunderland, or on Twitter at https://twitter. com/TallShipsSund. Remember to use the hashtag #wearonboard
And if you have a tall ships story to share, email chris. cordner@jpress.co.uk