Historic schooner which gives young people the chance to take to the waves is inviting people on board tomorrow (Saturday, June 21) as part of the Plymouth Boat Fest.

Schooner Johanna Lucretia will be inviting people on board at Plymouth Yacht Haven at Turnchapel on the eastern side of Plymouth Sound.

The event, running from 10am to 5pm, coincides with the 96ft topsail schooner's 80th birthday.

The schooner is now used by charity The Island Trust to give sailing experiences to young people who face hardship in their lives, whether through disability or disadvantage.

The charity will be welcoming visitors aboard the Johanna Lucretia throughout the day, with crew members on hand to share her remarkable story.

The schooner was originally built as a fishing vessel in 1945 in the port of Ghent in Belgium and has been rescued several times during her long career on the water.

She has appeared in films, including British spy thriller The Riddle of the Sands back in 1978. She also appeared in the 2006 film Amazing Grace, a drama about William Wilberforce's campaign to end the slave trade. And she starred in the Irish reality TV show Cabin Fever in 2003, when she replaced the original Cabin Fever ship after it ran aground off Tory Island off the north west coast of Ireland.

Since being sold to The Island Trust in 2018, she has provided inclusive, confidence-building voyages to young people who face huge difficulties in their everyday lives. Through hands-on learning at sea, the charity helps young people develop resilience, independence and a deeper connection to the sea.

“Johanna Lucretia represents everything The Island Trust stands for – adventure, inclusion, and opportunity,” said Simon Dobson, chair of trustees at the Plymouth-based charity.

“In the seven years since we brought her into our fleet, she has become more than just a beautiful vessel. She’s been a safe space, a classroom, and a confidence-builder for thousands of young people who wouldn’t otherwise get this chance.”

See www.theislandtrust.org.uk