Charity sailors dodging storms

Four men in a yacht have been dogged by storms and wild seas on a 2,000mile long charity roundBritain voyage.

Battling through snow, hail and gales, the group of friends have reached the Hebrides, hitting the half way mark in their three-month-long fundraising adventure for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The crew of Peter Best, Peter Soddy, Mark Bales and Mike O’Brien – who hail from the Midlands and Oxfordshire – are visiting 40 ports and anchorages in England, Scotland and Ireland on the Honey Bee, a Balticbuilt Hanse 345 sailing yacht.

They hit big seas on passage to the north of Scotland, were tossed about in a strong winds and tackled what can be a dangerous run across a rough Pentland

“Some marinas have been extremely generous”

Firth to Orkney. Being stormbound in Stornoway allowed them time to recover before venturing southbound on a zigzag course through the Inner Hebrides to the Irish Sea. They hope to reach home late next month.

Mr Best said: “We have a JustGiving page and so far, we’ve raised about £8,000. By the time we get home that should be close on £10,000.

“Some marinas have been extremely generous by not charging us berthing fees so the money we would have paid goes into the pot.

“A lot of people we know suffer from cancer but it’s particularly cruel when it affects kids.

“We thought it would be good to raise some money for those less fortunate than ourselves and believe the Teenage Cancer Trust is a charity everyone can identify with. Cancer does not differentiate and every day seven young people are diagnosed with this dreadful disease.”