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.