Last year was tough financially, and 2011 might be even more so, as we make good the losses of previous years. Nevertheless, we have a balanced operating budget for 2011. Last year there was growth in giving by individuals (our committed supporters are so much appreciated), which helped offset a small drop in funds from grant-making trusts. We seek further funding for the Bursary Fund, and for the development of our facilities for the future.

We aim to be good stewards of the resources God has blessed us with, and continue to review our costs so that we can serve our guests in an efficient and effective manner. We feel encouraged by strong bookings, and are confident that our plans for development will strengthen customer loyalty, and attract new visitors.

Here are some fairly raw figures for nine months of 2010, giving a proportional idea of where our money comes from and gets spent. We have recently taken the decision to base our accounts on a calendar year, so these 2010 figures cover only the first nine months of our current financial year. Running on the calendar year helps with our budgeting, as it splits the low-earning months to either end of the calculations.

Lightwaves, our annual review, will be published in February 2011. It will give the main points of the last year and some of our plans for this year, but if you'd like to know more on any of the points, well be adding more detail on this blog. 

The community based around Trinity is ever changing, with different staff, volunteers, groups and visitors onboard each week. Although the people on site and at the face of FACT change each week/month/year, the feel of the place remains the same. The community is the very heart of FACT whether on Memory, (the original centre, an ex-spritsail barge) Trinity, Sanderling (our safety launch), or at Waymarks (a beach near Bradwell) (!) it is the welcoming and joyful attitude of all those involved that allow others to catch hold of the vision.

People often comment on the similarities of Memory and Trinity; that can’t be structural, it has to be the feel of the place. Young people that come down for just a day can feel completely at home and apart of what is going on, and many of the staff team have felt the acceptance of the community of FACT through a stay onboard and have grown up surrounded by people that are ready to serve and love the people of FACT.

It does not stop, or even start, with young people, it is a real community with people from all generations dwelling together in one place. It’s dangerous to separate a community into different parts, but… a normal Thursday afternoon on the bottom table of the saloon has a unique feel. There is a pot of tea that is forever being refilled and never enough mugs (and a group of people that have forgotten what colour Wayfarer they have sailed that day!) But at this table there is conversations about everything, the feeling is usually the same, but the group of people rarely the same. This table welcomes all who drink tea, even those that don’t sail.

But this micro-community that is completely part of the whole community, welcomes new sailors, teachers, work experience volunteers etc and shows the essence of the community as a whole in a snapshot. This is but one example.

Anna White, lead instructor.