WesCom Signal and Rescue has delivered emergency flares to charity Ocean Youth Trust South’s Prolific vessel.

Ocean Youth Trust South is a UK youth charity that runs ‘Adventure Under Sail’, a development programme for young people aged 12-25 that may be disadvantaged or vulnerable in some way, to give them exciting opportunities on the water. The charity works closely with schools and social workers to ensure skills learned on the water can be transferred into the individuals’ long-term development.

Every voyage is designed to help develop confidence, understanding of others and how to cope with unfamiliar situations. Young crew members learn to sail the boat, keep watch and help to navigate, and also learn basic life skills such as cooking and healthy eating.

In support of Ocean Youth Trust South’s work, WesCom Signal and Rescue has donated a full set of Pains Wessex offshore pyrotechnic flares, to ensure the 30m Prolific vessel meets safety standards and the charity can continue to give young people these life-changing experiences.

Mark Todd, Chief Executive of Ocean Youth Trust South, comments on the charitable donation, saying: “A voyage on Prolific is not just about learning to sail, but about developing qualities which matter in everyday life. We are not permitted to sail without this safety equipment and are extremely grateful to WesCom for their continued support.”

WesCom Signal and Rescue is the world’s leading supplier of marine distress signals and is the parent company of Pains Wessex. Its brands have been helping to save lives for more than 100 years and are trusted for their reliability, high quality and consistent superiority by rescue services, navies, merchant ships and fishing fleets throughout the world.

Chris Feibusch, director of global marketing and communications for WesCom Signal and Rescue, says: “Many of these young people have never sailed before, and we believe in the importance of work the trust does. Of course, safety is paramount especially at sea, and we’re delighted to be able to continue our support of Ocean Youth Trust South and look forward to regular updates of how the crew are getting on.”