Press releases
Local yachtswoman sails the Atlantic for charity
Issued: 25 April 2008
A local girl, who was abandoned as a baby, is sailing across the Atlantic to raise money for children, like her, who find themselves without a permanent home.
Florence Hubert, 34, from Etchingham, East Sussex, begins her challenge in Antigua on May 6th when she sets sail to the Azores. The two week long journey covers 2,500 nautical miles and she hopes to raise £1 for every nautical mile she sails. The money will be donated to the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF), a charity that helps find secure, loving families for children who can no longer live at home.
Flo was abandoned at birth and began her life in care homes and with foster parents. Fortunately, when she was 18 months old she was adopted by a wonderful family and it changed her life forever. Flo now wants to help other children in care who need a permanent family to give them the love, encouragement and support she had.
Her dream has always been to cross an ocean by sailboat and her adoptive parents have supported her in fulfilling that dream.
She says “I thought it was time for me to give back and help all those children in care – I am doing it because we’re all kids at heart and we’ve all got dreams to make come true. It’s exciting and scary all at once, but when the going gets tough, I know I’ll find the strength to do it knowing I will be helping BAAF with their work to change children’s lives for good.”
As a keen yachtswoman, Flo often sails aboard yachts from Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club in Eastbourne and she has taken part in inshore races from the J Cup to Cowes Week and offshore races like the Royal Escape in Brighton. She will be sailing aboard a Farr 65 racing yacht with the chartering company OnDeck. She only took up the sport at 31 and this will be the biggest challenge of her life. Donations can be made by logging on to www.justgiving.com/florencehubert
Notes to editors:
- For further information or for an interview with Florence Hubert, please contact Jane Elston at the BAAF press office on 020 7421 2633 or email jane.elston@baaf.org.uk. For out of hours enquiries please call 07767 444 589.
- A photograph of Florence is available on request.
- BAAF is one of the UK’s leading charities for children in care. We provide services to meet the needs of some of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people. In 2006/2007 we helped place 486 children through Be My Parent and the Adoption Register and sold 42,500 books on adoption and fostering. We also run 2,000 workshops and training units UK-wide. For more information visit www.baaf.org.uk
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