TEN young people from the Tavistock area received a boost this Christmas, when they learned they had achieved bronze youth achievement awards for their work during an exciting tall ships expedition last summer.

The 16-year-olds crewed the tall ship Keewaydin on a voyage from Brixham to the Channel Islands, visiting Guernsey, Sark and Alderney.

It is the fourth time Tavistock College?s youth office has been successful in securing funding to carry out the ?getaway programme?, which was awarded around £6,000 by the New Opportunities Fund.

Director of youth education John Collacott said the trip was ?fabulous?, made even better by the stunning August weather.

He said: ?I think it goes without saying that the young people had an absolutely marvellous time ? and they were a fabulous group to take.

?They put in so much effort and their behaviour was impeccable. There were a lot of safety issues involved and they were superb.?

John said the ship?s generator failed during the trip, which meant the students and adults were forced to raise and lower the half-ton anchor and 45 metres of anchor chain manually, several times a day.

?They did it all without complaining, they worked particularly hard and did really well,? he said.

The youngsters also completed their Royal Yachting Association competent crew certificates while on board the Keewaydin, a restored tall ship originally built as a trawler in Lowestoft in 1913.

And the good news is that John is now hoping to organise another tall ships expedition for this summer.

?I?m in contact with Trinity Sailing Trust and currently looking at doing a similar expedition in July or August of 2004.

?I?ve already been in contact with the people who assisted us with funding for this year and will be making applications through the same channels,? he said.

The trip would be available for 16-year-old school leavers in the Tavistock area. Depending on the size of the ship available, there would be places for seven, ten or 12 young people.

?It?s also possible we could go from Plymouth to the Channel Islands, or we could go to France, or from Holyhead to Ireland and back to Scotland,? said John.

?The advantage in what we did last year was that some of the parents came down to Brixham to see the young people off and they were allowed onto the ship, which was very nice and quite a privilege ? you don?t often get the chance to go on a tall ship,? he said.

Sarah Parr, a youth worker who went on the getaway challenge, said the youngsters who went on the trip were a credit to their parents and their schools.

?I was really proud of them all and I enjoyed it immensely,? she said.

Sarah said the trip had been a great opportunity for youngsters of all backgrounds to meet, make friends and work together in a completely new environment.

She said: ?This year?s challenge was hard work for all involved, but was a lot of fun and we all gained so much from the experience, that will stay with everyone all their lives.?

The aim of the getaway programme is to develop young people?s skills while also giving them opportunities to link with education opportunities after they leave school, in a multi-agency approach.