A six-strong group will embark on a ten-day voyage on a sailing ship designed for crew with physical and mental disabilities.

Jaime Brangman and Kristopher Trott, clients of the K. Margaret Carter Centre for the disabled, and Branden Fox, from Vision Bermuda, which helps people with sight problems, will serve as crew on board the Tenacious, operated by the British-based Jubilee Sailing Trust.

They will be joined by Mujib Swan, a case manager at the KMCC and caregivers Sharon Swan and Sally Browne.

The trip was made possible through bursaries from the Bermuda Sailors’ Home charity.

Kim Wilson, the Minister of Health, helped the group celebrate their trip from Antigua at a reception last Friday.

She said: “I want to first of all begin by thanking Bermuda Sailors’ Home and the Jubilee Sailing Trust for partnering with the K Margaret Carter Centre to create this remarkable opportunity which we are all here to celebrate today.”

Ms Wilson wished “the best of luck” to the six people who will take part in the voyage.

She said: “These individuals will all be part of the crew during the ten days that they are sailing.

“This means that they will be given crew responsibilities.

“The Tenacious is only one of two sailing vessels purpose-built to be fully accessible.

“As many of us here know, people who are differently abled do not often receive opportunities to fully integrate in recreational programmes.

“Therefore, the Ministry of Health, including the K. Margaret Carter Centre, are extremely grateful to Bermuda Sailors’ Home and to the Jubilee Sailing Trust for this incredible gesture of inclusion.”

Ms Wilson added: “I hope that other businesses, recreational programmes, and service-delivery entities take on the challenge of making their services more inclusive of persons with disabilities and providing more inclusive opportunities.”

She said: “We are so excited for Branden, Jaime and Kris.

“We pray for their safe travels and we look forward to the stories that we will hear upon their return.

“We know that this is an experience of a lifetime.”