11/09/2025
💥Sad News | Closure of Challenge Wales After Final Voyage
After more than 16 incredible years at sea, inspiring young people and changing lives, the Challenge Wales charity is ceasing its activities at the end of September after its last adventure voyage. 💙
As an award-winning charity, predominantly run by amazing volunteers, the Challenge Wales charity has empowered almost 5,000 young people through outdoor learning at sea, environmental stewardship, education and improving mental health. The Charity worked tirelessly with predominantly disadvantaged young people to raise aspirations, reduce inequality and to lead social inclusion through access to sail training opportunities and helping young people to reach their potential and have a brighter future.
Faced with mounting financial pressures the Challenge Wales Charity has found it difficult to continue its work in a sustainable way. So, after careful consideration the Trustees made the very difficult decision to close the Charity.
Charities like Challenge Wales play a vital role in supporting youth services working together to ensure no one falls between the gaps. This year the Charity wasn’t able to support everyone who needed it (through bursary funding) to be able to access its services. We need to serve our young people to the highest standard and to ensure future support for the young people the best thing is to hand over the baton.
This is why we are excited to announce that our vessel Challenge Wales | Wales’ Tall Ship will transfer into the ownership of Tall Ships Youth Trust on 1st October and continue the Challenge Wales legacy. The Trust is a well-established youth development and outdoor learning charity and the addition of Challenge Wales to their fleet will secure the legacy of continuing to give young people across Wales access to life-changing voyages.
Challenge Wales also created a unique volunteer community with over 500 volunteers over the years getting involved and those wanting to continue their volunteering with Tall Ships Youth Trust can do that through a Volunteer Pathway that has been set up. Challenge Wales volunteers have been the heartbeat of Challenge Wales – with dedication, skills and passion they have empowered thousands of young people and have truly exemplified what it means to give back to the community.
Together, Challenge Wales and Tall Ships Youth Trust are ensuring a lasting legacy – protecting the past, sustaining the present, and creating new opportunities for the future. You can read more here: https://bit.ly/4piqoVL
YOUR LAST CHANCE TO SAIL ON CHALLENGE WALES
If you are aged 18 or over, you can come and join Challenge Wales for her final sailing trip (a one-way trip) from Penarth to Gosport. We would love to send her off on her new adventures in style. This is strictly an adult-only voyage but gives sailors, supporters and those who just want to experience sailing an ex-round the world yacht a final opportunity to jump onboard. We’ve split it into 2 legs OR you can double up and join us for the full 10 day voyage which will take you around Lands End:
Leg 1: Penarth – Plymouth 19th – 24th September - £475
Leg 2: Plymouth – Gosport 25th – 29th September - £475
Full voyage: Penarth – Gosport 19th – 29th September - £795
For more information: https://bit.ly/4gud78v
We would like to thank everyone at this time, which is marked by huge emotion and immense pride, and of course our funders over the last 16 years who truly believed in what we set out to achieve.
RYA Cymru Wales
ASTO
Sail Training International
