Lauren Harris

Lauren Harris is seventeen and comes from Portchester, just outside Portsmouth.
Like many of our Young Adults her first experience of sailing was with the Meridian Trust Association but, even so, she’d only had three days on a boat before starting on her training for this project.

One of her principal aims when she joined was to learn how to work as part of a big team as she hopes to join the Navy. And she already feels she’s moved a long way towards that goal. She said,
“I have learned so much already; one of the main things is that when we all pull together as a team we can make things happen! And that nothing we do is pointless as we learn from our mistakes as well us our successes”.

For her, the turning point came when they went for a week’s sailing,
“That’s when I realised this project was definitely for me and that I was going to make lots of friends doing it. I also managed to discover what sort of part I played in the team”.

“I am enjoying the experience loads and can’t wait to get out on the water. I have learnt that there will be times when you feel down and things aren’t going well but you must stay happy and keep going because eventually we will get there and we will do it. I will be sad when it finishes but I think we will all go on to do something bigger and better”.

Lauren feels she’s been incredibly lucky to get picked for the leg from Fiji to Sydney. Unsurprisingly, she can’t wait to sail under Sydney Harbour Bridge and see the Opera House! In fact, she’s so excited about the prospect that she’s even looking forward to the early mornings on board!

In the future, hopefully the Navy beckons. However, Lauren also hopes to get involved with more projects like The Raymarine Lively Lady Project because,
“To be able to tell someone that you are doing something like this with your life is definitely something to be proud of”.

<< back