What do you do, why do you do it and why does it matter?
I’m the Director of Development and Impact at UKSA, a maritime training charity based on the Isle of Wight. We work with children, young people and adults to develop the skills, confidence and qualifications needed for long-term careers at sea, many of them within the superyacht sector. Around a third of our students come from challenging or financially deprived backgrounds, and my role is to raise the funding that enables them to access training they otherwise couldn’t afford.

At a time when young people face rising costs, fragile mental health, limited career guidance and fewer affordable routes into skilled work, I truly believe that having access to opportunity changes lives. The maritime industry offers incredible careers, but the barriers to entry are real: cost, lack of awareness, limited networks and inconsistent pathways into professional roles. Too many capable young people never get close enough to consider yachting a viable option.

This matters because the industry is facing a worsening skills shortage, high crew turnover and increasing pressure on standards. UKSA exists to prepare motivated, properly trained crew who see yachting as a profession, not a stop gap. If the industry wants better people coming through, it has to play an active role in widening access and supporting structured training routes.

What is the most tangible thing you’ve achieved so far and what did it actually take to make it happen?
I’ve spent my career in fundraising, raising over £80 million for education, youth development and social impact causes. The most tangible achievement isn’t a single number, but is always the sustained impact that long-term, strategic investment can have when it’s aligned with real need. Since joining UKSA five years ago, we’ve increased charitable income by more than 500 per cent. That growth has directly enabled access – more children building confidence on the water, more funded training places and more young people progressing from first exposure through to professional qualifications and employment. Last year alone, we gave out £1.3 million in bursaries to young people who wouldn’t be able to come to UKSA without financial support. For the superyacht industry, that means a stronger pipeline of well-prepared, motivated crew entering the sector.

When funders and industry partners see young people succeeding and staying in maritime careers, confidence grows and support becomes long term.

This level of fundraising isn’t about one-off donations, it’s about building meaningful partnerships with businesses and superyacht owners who understand the value of investing in future talent. It also requires honesty about barriers young people face and clarity about outcomes the industry cares about: competence, attitude and progression. When funders and industry partners see young people succeeding and staying in maritime careers, confidence grows and support becomes long term.

What is genuinely possible for yachting if the industry leans into this properly and what’s standing in the way?
If the yachting industry leaned into philanthropy in a more open and united way, the potential impact would be extraordinary. This is an industry with significant influence, global reach and incredible financial capability. Coordinated support could transform access to maritime careers, accelerate environmental initiatives and create lasting benefits for the communities that yachting relies on.

We’ve already seen what’s possible when commitment is real. Organisations such as Edmiston, whose foundation has invested almost £1 million into UKSA over the last few years, have unlocked opportunities for hundreds of young people and strengthened the future talent pipeline. That support hasn’t diminished the appeal of yachting for owners, it’s enhanced it.

What often stands in the way is not a lack of ability but a reluctance to talk openly about challenges. The industry can be wary of acknowledging issues, preferring to present superyachting as purely aspirational and uncomplicated. Understandably, owners want their yachts associated with positive experiences. But there is an opportunity here. Imagine if ownership and philanthropy were more clearly linked. Younger generations increasingly expect their spending and hobbies to reflect their values. Through visible, authentic partnerships with charities, yachts and owners can demonstrate leadership, create impact and help shape a more resilient and credible future for the industry as a whole.

Profile links

UKSA

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