You can make an immediate difference today, with a tax-deductible donation to help Sailing Lifts Your Spirits reach even more deserving healthcare workers and first responders (emergency services). It's easy to join in and support the program that is helping fight burnout and anxiety that is so prevalent in this community.

Sailing Lifts Your Spirits is a charity that promotes sailing for the wellbeing of our healthcare workers and first responders. We have grown from a single yacht program to now have a fleet of 14 yachts and counting. We operate with the generous support of over 100 volunteer skippers, sailors and shore crew that have very kindly made their yachts and themselves available to support our program.

Every week, weather permitting, the Sailing Lifts Your Spirits fleet heads out of the marina for a 2 hour sail. Many have never been on board a yacht before and are clearly engaged by the wind powered experience. They are full of questions about how it works, but, most importantly they have disengaged from the challenges of their work day. By the time we get back, our guests are visibly more relaxed and animated.

After the on water experience, we all head ashore where everyone can connect with like-minded amazing members of the sailing community. We debrief and share the ways they can experience more sailing and how sailing can help counter empathy and compassion fatigue based on the data from the 5 Ways to Wellbeing.

1. Connect
2. Be Active
3. Keep Learning
4. Be Aware
5. Help Others  

During the summers of 21/22 & 22/23, over 600 guests had the opportunity to experience sailing from our base at Royal Brighton Yacht Club. For many this was their first time on the water and was always well received. We often hear comments like "I nearly cancelled after a terrible day at work but, I'm so glad I attended, sailing into the sunset I was able to leave the stress of work behind"..."I never thought that I would ever get to experience something like this." ...

During the summer of 23/24, we plan to expand the program to multiple locations around Melbourne. In order to do this we need to invest in all of our operational aspects: platform updates, training and user guides as well as expanding our communications capability to a much wider reach. Your support will help us scale up to meet our goal of helping 2000 healthcare workers and first responders stay well. Your $60 donation will enable 1 of our very deserving guests to have a sailing experience. Your $600 donation will enable a whole boat load of 10 very deserving guests to experience the benefits to their wellbeing of sailing.