Jet and Stelmar shipping line founder and entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou is donating six boats to youth charity Sea Cadets which will be rotated around the country to deliver keelboat training to the 15,000 youths across the UK.

Sea Cadets is a charity which aims to create possibilities through a “different kind of adventure”. Working across the UK with 14,000 young people aged 10 to 18, the charity sets out to help them develop into “resilient, confident” young people.

The training made possible through these RS21 keelboats will focus on delivery of RYA qualifications and league competitions across at least eight boat stations nationally. These boats are expected to provide a minimum of 12 years of service for the benefit of over 1,000 cadets per year.

Sea Cadets charity chief executive, Martin Coles, said: “We are extremely grateful to Sir Stelios for the fantastic opportunity these keelboats will provide our cadets. Many of our young people come from inner city communities or disadvantaged areas and would never have imagined being able to access sail training in such fantastic vessels, maybe even inspiring a future career in the maritime sector.

“So for many of our cadets, these keelboats mark the beginning of a life that would not otherwise have been available to them.”