The 1851 Trust has been named Maritime Solent’s Charity Partner for 2026-27 as the organisations join forces to encourage more young people to consider careers in the maritime industry.
The partnership brings together 2 organisations with roots in the Solent and a shared ambition to introduce the next generation to opportunities within the sector.
The Solent is one of the UK’s major maritime hubs, supporting thousands of jobs alongside businesses working in technology and innovation.
However, the organisations say many young people remain unaware of the careers available within the industry.
Founded by Sir Ben Ainslie during the British Challenge for the America’s Cup, the 1851 Trust uses high-performance sport to bring science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to life.
Its work aims to connect classroom learning with real-world opportunities and inspire young people to consider careers in STEM and maritime industries.
The charity’s free STEM Crew digital education platform contains more than 60 STEM and climate-based resources.
According to the 1851 Trust, the resources are already used by 46% of UK secondary schools and across 31 countries.
Sir Ben Ainslie, Patron and Co-Founder of the 1851 Trust, has said:
“The talent is already there – the curiosity, the ambition, the potential. But what young people need is the chance to see where that could take them.
“Maritime has so many different careers and pathways, but if you don’t know those opportunities exist, how do you know they’re for you? Working with Maritime Solent gives us a great opportunity to open up those pathways.
“1851 Trust is delighted to be named Maritime Solent’s Charity Partner of the Year. The Solent is home to one of the UK’s largest maritime clusters and provides incredible pathways, skills and careers and bleeding edge technology and innovation.”
Jo Grindley, CEO of the 1851 Trust, has said:
“Our aim is to inspire more young people into STEM careers and the maritime industry through our sports inspired digital education platform and in person school’s programmes.
“With the support of Maritime Solent’s network, we can provide pathways to help close the skills gap.”
Stuart Baker, Chief Executive of Maritime Solent, has said:
“Working with 1851 Trust provides a great opportunity to partner with one of the region’s most innovative charities, using elite sports to break down barriers for young people to access education in STEM subjects.
“We are looking forward to working with 1851 Trust to help open up further opportunities across our network and support more young people to consider pathways into rewarding maritime careers.”
