Island Trust wins funding to restore ‘Moosk’

Today, the Island Trust Ltd, a Devon based sail training organisation for young people, has received £65,100 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for an exciting project to restore the historic vessel ‘Moosk’.

The restoration will be undertaken at Insworke Quay, Millbrook and led by renowned boat builder Chris Rees.

The project is driven by the need to preserve this important piece of our maritime heritage and incorporates an education project in schools local to where she was built, Falmouth, and where she is now based, Plymouth. The project will culminate in Easter 2016 with a visit to the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, where members of the public will be invited on board to view Moosk in her restored glory and find out more about her history from the school’s interpretive panels and educational resources.

The restoration of Moosk will enable the Island Trust, with its 42 year history of charitable work, to continue to provide subsidised sailing opportunities to young people who are often disabled or disadvantaged, and would never otherwise be able to experience the joy and challenge of a week at sea.

During an Island Trust voyage, young people not only learn to sail, but also improve in confidence, motivation and independent living skills.

Moosk is one of The Island Trust’s fleet of three traditional wooden boats that regularly visit heritage sites, particularly around the South West and a suite of new educational resources will enhance the knowledge gained during these visits.

Moosk is on the Historic Ships Register and was built in 1906 by W. H. Thomas in Falmouth. She is one of the first private yachts to have been built with an engine, emulating technology newly pioneered in turn-of-the-century commercial vessels, and internal electric lighting. Moosk is one of the earliest examples of a private yacht to be commissioned specifically for leisure.

During her life, she has had some very prestigious owners, including an Earl and an MP. Moosk now earns a living teaching maritime skills to a new generation of young sailors.

Richard Lloyd MBE, the keen sailor who founded the charity, said: “We are delighted to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, which will enable us to preserve a wonderful historic sailing craft and to continue to support many hundreds of deserving young people from across the UK in the future”.

Nerys Watts, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund South West, said: “We’re really pleased to be funding this important project that will not only see the restoration of the historic ‘Moosk’ but also provide some valuable opportunities for local young people. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, projects like this across the South West and further afield continue to help conserve and share our incredible heritage.”