Shetland school pupils gained hands-on experience and enhanced their maritime skills on a unique sailing vessel through the continued support of the Cooke Community Benefit Fund.
Over the course of three days, more than 30 secondary four pupils from Aith Junior High School got involved in trips on board Swan – Shetland’s sail training boat.
Originally a Fifie herring drifter, the ship has gone through a substantial renovation to provide opportunities for adults and school children to gain experiences of learning what it takes to sail a traditional fishing boat.
Cooke Scotland’s Shetland Regional Manager, David Brown, said: “Sailing on Swan is a rite of passage for many young Shetlanders. As well as being lots of fun, the sailing trips are a fantastic opportunity for local youngsters to build skills and confidence on the water.
“As a leading producer of Scottish salmon in Shetland, we proudly support the local communities where we live and work. We recognise the importance of these experiences to get out on the open water, work as a team, and learn about Shetland’s maritime history.”
Since 2021 the ongoing partnership between The Swan Trust and Cooke Scotland has benefited around 200 school pupils from the north isles and westside of Shetland with day sail experiences.
Cullivoe and Mid Yell pupils on their Cooke-sponsored sail training trips, 2022
The on-board experience is something that cannot be replicated in a classroom and is valued by those taking part, according to Aith Junior High Head Teacher, Michael Spence.
He said: “Despite residing in Shetland, some pupils have never set foot on a vessel. The Swan, a heritage boat, serves as an educational platform where students can grasp the essence of working and sailing on a traditional fishing vessel. The wealth of knowledge and experience gained in such an environment is invaluable.”
A school pupil also provided feedback on their experience of the sail training trip this year:
“I enjoyed working as a team to sail the Swan. I feel it has opened new potential career options for me. I learnt about the history of the Swan. I found it had an interesting past, it made me feel interested in the Swan as a whole. I liked the manual feel of the Swan and it wasn’t all machinery. It made me think how it would have felt in 1900 when it was first built and how people would have fished on it.”
This year Swan celebrated its 125th anniversary since its initial launch in 1900. An exhibition took place at the Shetland Museum and Archives, where the long and varied history of the vessel was recognised through a collection of memorabilia and an information timeline. They also had the boat berthed for an open ship event outside the location where it was originally built – the sheds at Hay’s Dock.
125th Anniversary event of Swan at Hays Dock