Pirates in Weymouth with Christian message (From Dorset Echo)

Pirates in Weymouth with Christian message

10:30am Tuesday 21st August 2012 in Local News By Emma Walker

WELCOME aboard me hearties! Pirates have taken over Weymouth and plan to stay for the next three weeks.

And it is the youth of the area who are set to hop on board and learn all about life at sea.

All are invited to pop along to the attraction which is based in the town’s harbour and run by Christian group Youth with a Mission (YWAM).

Youth groups from across Weymouth and Portland will flock to the huge ship to learn to sail, dress up as pirates, watch a pirate film and take part in a pirate-themed sleepover.

The pirate base, which houses its own on-board cafe, will also be acting as a drop-in centre for those who pay it a visit.

It will be in Weymouth throughout the August Bank Holiday and leave at the end of the Paralympic sailing events on September 10.

The pirate crew includes Christian volunteers from across the world who travel the globe.

Tamara and Daniel Jackson, both 25, directors of the boat Next Wave, said they wanted to reach out to the youth of the area. Mrs Jackson, of Portland, Oregon in America, added: “We will be reaching out to people in the Weymouth and Portland community.

“It is in line with the Paralympic sailing events and we are really glad to be here.

“On Friday we will be having our first youth groups on board, both groups of girls and boys.

“We will be teaching them about sailing and they will get to dress up as pirates.

“We want to show them what it is like to be a volunteer.”

Mr Jackson said: “We want to take the chance to reach out to the next generation to really make a difference.”

The sea-themed project has been possible thanks to churches in Weymouth and Portland and More Than Gold, which aims to enable the UK churches to engage with the 2012 Games.

YWAM hosts a wide variety of ship ministries across the world especially in the Mediterranean.