Pupils at Brighstone CE Aided Primary School are closely following the progress of inspirational sailor Natasha Lambert who has adopted their school mascot as a crew member for her 2,700 nautical mile voyage across the Atlantic.
This year the school has chosen local sailors for its class names, with Year 1/2 named after Natasha Lambert BEM, whose positive attitude closely reflects the school’s values of love, courage and respect.
Since September, pupils have been spending time researching Natasha’s achievements and the unique way in which she controls her boat using the Sip-Puff technology designed by her engineer dad, Gary. The children watched a film of Natasha, who was born with cerebral palsy, showing her using a tube fixed to her helmet which controls the boat’s steering when she puffs. A switch in the helmet, which can be moved by Natasha’s tongue, changes the controls meaning Natasha can also control the sails with her breath.
Class teacher Mrs Lucy Aram was able to meet with Natasha before she set off for the start of her challenge to hand over the class mascot ‘Jo Jigsaw’, along with pictures and letters from her pupils.
Natasha said:
“I was thrilled to find out that Brighstone Primary School had named a class after me; it is a huge honour. It was lovely to receive all the pictures and letters from the children who asked some really interesting questions, which we really enjoyed answering.”
“We are looking forward to sharing our adventures with the children with the help of ‘Jo Jigsaw’ who is a fun addition to our crew aboard our boat ‘Blown Away’.”
Mrs Aram said:
“We are so excited to be following Natasha’s progress as she sails across the Atlantic. She is a perfect role model for the children in our class, showing determination and positivity in everything she does.”
“The children have really enjoyed seeing pictures of Jo Jigsaw helping Natasha with tasks on the boat so far, we can’t wait to see what else she gets up to on the way to St Lucia!”
Mrs Lennon, headteacher at Brighstone Primary School, said:
“Natasha and the other sailors that our classes are named after this year exemplify ‘courage’, one of our school values, in their determination to achieve their goals. We wish Natasha fair winds for her voyage and look forward to welcoming her to our school on her return so we can hear about her adventures.”
The school’s other classes are named after sailors with Isle of Wight links: Ben Ainsley (Reception/Year 1), Shirley Robertson (Year 3/4), Ellen MacArthur (Year 5) and Seb Clover (Year 6).
Pupils in Robertson Class have taken part in a Zoom question and answer session with the double Olympic gold medal winner who spoke about her experiences on the water and the qualities that were key to her success. Macarthur Class have taken part in a Zoom session with a representative from the Ellen Macarthur Trust, and Clover Class and Ainslie Class have plans to meet up with their class sailors.
