Happy Anniversary ABC

Today is our anniversary. The ABC was launched on November 5th 2014 with help from a Millennium Award and BIG Lottery funding. It took two years from the idea being dreamt of, to getting the necessary backing.

We saw, that people in low incomes, were an [international] community with similar identifiers and similar problems. We saw the potential in an organisation to directly represent those on low incomes, in the gig economy or surviving on state pensions and benefits. With growing automation, this group we felt may grow, not shrink, and we shrugged off the simplistic ‘strivers and shirkers’ way the government was trying to present a much-misrepresented group of people in society.

The ABC are growing and have some very exciting plans for 2018. We thank everyone that has helped us along the way, and to our audience that continues to find benefit from the information, ideas and (we hope) inspiration that the ABC can provide. With the help of the University of Essex, Student Union VTeam (volunteers) we have been building up our directory of organisations that assist those on low incomes. A lot more to do on that project, but we hope to resume our work with the University in the spring of next year and of course on other projects we have underway.    

Fingers crossed we will have some other exciting announcements in the new year.  

Later today we will be watching the start of The Volvo Race leg from Lisbon to Cape Town. 14:00 UTC (14:00 Lisbon). The Volvo Race started life as the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race. Incredible to think that Whitbread - a company that was moving from brewing to running restaurant and hospitality outlets at that time – their sponsorship of the race, was alleged to be just £25K in the last edition they backed. Today the race is a multi-million-pound event and a mind-boggling feat of logistics. A huge business in its own right. 

Image: Tracy Edwards back then (1989)

Tracy Edwards skipped the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Race. It seems amazing that was at the time it seemed so revolutionary. The Volvo rules have changed to encouraged crews of mixed sex in the current race and the boats are now one-design. Women have come a long way in the last thirty years, and it’s a good thing too. Tracy was the first woman to receive the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire. She is also a best-selling author. Tracy has launched a project to find and restore Maiden. Click on the image below to learn more:

Image: Tracy Edwards and the Maiden Factor project.

Personally, I (Simon Collyer) sailed against the likes of Lawrie Smith in the Olympic 470 Class. Lawrie was a helmsman on Drum with Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran fame, before his own Whitbread campaigns, Silk Cut and Rothmans. 

Image: Simon le Bon on 'Drum' and as he was in the Top of the Pops days. 

Video: The Olympic 470 Class 

There is a Volvo race stopover in Cardiff, with the race village open on the 27^th May, with an In-port Race on the 8^th June and then the fleet then heads off for Gothenburg on the 10^th June.

Sailing may seem to be a sport for the rich, but you would be surprised by the range of people involved. If you have the time dedication and commitment you can start by looking up your local sailing club and seeing if you can start by crewing for someone and learning the ropes. It’s also a great way to make contacts and that can lead to opportunity. 

Image: Volvo Race course

Lastly, we are getting regular contacts from people who want to volunteer or work for the ABC. We keep your details (with your agreement) and in time we will need more people. We do thank you for reaching out at the American like to put it!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to US. Have a great rest of the day..