Welcome to The Excelsior Trust - and our new website, launched in this our 25th anniversary year. We invite you to join us in celebrations, in sailing our fine ship, and in exploring the future of maritime heritage on the East Coast. 
If you are already a regular, paying supporter, our thanks to you for your help. If you are considering joining, NOW is the time, for this is a very special year. "Excelsior" is officially one of the 60 most important historic ships in Britain. We keep her sailing at sea, both for you - our supporters - and for the young disadvantaged people who go to sea in her with our partners, the Cirdan Sailing Trust. • Become a paying supporter: click here for details. To join as a Friend costs £25 per year, or as a Governor from £70 per year. By joining you are helping keep our maritime heritage alive. • Your payment contributes to our maintenance fund for looking after "Excelsior" in the longer-term. From time to time we need to replace major items like sails, spars, engine, and other gear - some has to be specially made in our shipyard - to ensure that "Excelsior" is not only safe and efficient, but also authentic. • Your support also entitles you to sail with us for the day, or (should you wish to get together a party to charter "Excelsior") for a longer period - possibly abroad. Apart from "Excelsior" you can also sail on other ships in the Cirdan Sailing Trust fleet. Click here to find out more. • This year will see some real highlights to celebrate our anniversary. We look forward to seeing you at one (or all!) of the social and educational events we will be organising. Click here to keep up to date with the news as it breaks. • The Trust has recently surveyed the views and needs of our supporters - you can click here to read the results of our research. • Although the Trust is 25 in 2008, the ship herself is of course much older - she was built in 1921. After a varied life she was finally restored back to sail by the Trust under the direction of co-founder John Wylson. We intend that this website will become an 'electronic museum' dedicated to "Excelsior" and our maritime heritage. Click here to begin reading her story. • Available from the Trust are lovely prints of paintings of "Excelsior", a history booklet, videos/DVDs, clothing and other items of merchandise. Very shortly you will be able to order merchandise on-line. • Finally, if you wish to send us a message, offer your services as a helper for the ship, learn about sailing, social events or fund-raising - or to simply ask us a question, you can do it directly by clicking here. "Excelsior" spends much of her time sailing the East Coast, crossing the North Sea, or voyaging to farther destinations. Her passengers benefit from the culture, bonding and character-building experience unique to life aboard a sailing ship. You may see her in Lowestoft, on the Rivers Orwell and Stour, or in Harwich or Ipswich. Say "hello" to the crew! Bill Ewen, our skipper, is always pleased to see you. Please join us - not only for your own enjoyment, but to help this fine old ship continue to make her special contribution to our maritime heritage. Remember that, through your support, she is also serving many other, often less fortunate, people. Thank you for visiting the Excelsior Trust website - now do come and join up! THE TRUSTEES |
