A 10-year-old boy from Colchester who is in recovery from cancer has taken part in a sailing challenge alongside other young survivors – and was given a special honour at the end of the trip to open the London Stock Exchange.
Dominic Cole was one of eight people to finish the 120-nautical mile leg nine journey from Harwich to the capital as part of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s four-month voyage around Britain.
After completing the adventure on the charity’s 44ft yacht, Moonspray, Dominic rang the iconic London Stock Exchange bell to open the market for trading.
He said: “The London Stock Exchange is one of the most important places in London and it was really fun to ring the bell. The trading screen just lit up and started flashing straight away and it made me jump. That was my favourite moment.”
Dominic first worked with the trust – which uses sailing to help empower people aged eight to 24 who have had cancer to embrace their future – last year after undergoing treatment for cancer, at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in 2014-15.
“The trust has helped me build my confidence back up after my treatment,” Dominic said. “I’ve learned new sailing skills – I like to steer the boat – and I’ve made lots of new friends on this trip too. This then makes you more confident to make new friends outside of the trust. We saw a few seals around the Thames Estuary, which was pretty cool as well.”
Moonspray was welcomed into Canary Wharf last Wednesday before the crew enjoyed a guided tour of Tower Bridge on Thursday and the market opening, as part of a three-year partnership between the London Stock Exchange Group and the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, on Friday.
The young sailors and their families then took a trip on the replica 1890’s Mississippi Stern-wheeled paddle steamer, The Elizabethan, one of the largest vessels on the Thames, which escorted Moonspray through the raised Tower Bridge on Saturday.
Moonspray will remain berthed in St Katherine’s Dock before four more young people join the crew for the 200-mile leg ten sail to Cowes in the Isle of Wight. The voyage finishes back where it started at the trust’s Scottish base in Largs.
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