Annual Report 2024-25

This document serves as our annual report for 2024 – 2025.

The trustees would like to thank everyone who has donated and given their support to Hilary’s Dream Trust (HDT) over this year.  The Trust would not succeed without the continuing commitment and work of its trustees and supporters – thank you!

The trustees are pleased to announce that HDT is continuing to fund Oceans of Hope UK with an annual grant of £5000.  Our grant has enabled Oceans of Hope UK to continue their work and specifically funded day sails to reach and enable more adults with MS and other life challenges to experience sailing and the freedom that sailing brings.

 In 2025 our grant to Oceans of Hope went to an event that was heavily subsidised for 30 people to attend a completely accessible weekend of sailing adventure in the Lake District in August.  It is Oceans of Hope’s aim to make all their events not only accessible from a physical point of view but from a financial point of view as well and HDT’s annual grant supports this aim.  The weekend was confirmed very successful with Oceans of Hope (OoH) working with the Calvert Trust who were wonderful hosts with generosity and kindness and support for their participants.

The weekend started on a Friday afternoon where people were welcomed and introduced to their accommodation (which was fantastic).  They had all their meals provided and two full days of sailing and adventure in the Lake District

The participants stayed on Sunday night, which gave them the opportunity to rest and leave on Monday morning after breakfast fully restored and rested.  Robert Munns from Oceans of Hope states, “It is important that your (HDT) work alongside us is recognised and appreciated.  With your generous donation of £5000 for 2025 we were able to offer these places which normally cost nearly £500 for an extra super affordable price of approximately £150.

We hope that we continue Hilary’s story in the things that we do.”

This year we have provided funding to enable three individuals to participate in sailing activities and gain a sailing qualification. Two of their stories are shared below.

Going forward - Our goal, as always in all our endeavours, is to help and support adults with disabilities and disabling conditions to experience sailing, achieve their sailing dreams and support their recovery and increase their resilience.

If you would like to donate to Hilary’s Dream Trust and help others to achieve their sailing dreams, please go to our website Support Us | Hilary's Dream Trust (hilarysdreamtrust.org) and click on the “Wonderful” donate button.

CP – “Many thanks again for funding my Day Skipper course earlier this month. I'm very happy to report that I gained my qualification and my next step, endorsed by my examiner, is to act as First Mate on an Oceans of Hope sail or with another sailing charity.”

TS – “The peacefulness and serenity that you can get from just sitting on the bow, watching the sun go down, the gentle motion and lapping of waves, with no noise except the faint chatter and laughter of the other Oceans of Hope participants on the other two yachts.....to me that was a time to stop and take in the view of the sun fading and the stars appearing. No light pollution just a blanket of stars twinkling away and mother nature at its best. The last two days consisted of doing what I love most, helming the yacht, tacking and jibing with a crew of people, (some that had never sailed before) with the same condition as me and taking in the smells, sights and sounds of the ocean around me. One thing I have learned from the many trips that I have taken with Oceans of Hope Challenge UK is that I can do the same as a person who does sailing and is healthy. Having Multiple Sclerosis does not define you as a person or stop you from doing something new and exciting. I love sailing with Oceans of Hope Challenge and have gained not just new friends but a family that have kept growing and growing as the years have passed and will continue to grow for years to come. “