One of the partners in the Shipshape Heritage Training Partnership course is the Pioneer Sailing Trust, based at Brightlingsea in Essex. As well as teaching sail training the traditional way, they also revive traditional boat building methods (but they do allow themselves modern tools!) Here (picture) they’re working on a Colchester inshore oyster boat, which was an utter wreck when they took it on, but is now a thing of beauty, reflecting the painstaking work done to restore her. Accommodation will be in the former oyster hold (mind your head!) But Pioneer go well beyond all that – making it their mission to work with young people to bring term the skills – and the joy – of sailing. They also help young people troubled by difficult lives. The sea can be a great healer and Pioneer work to show just how…