The Round Britain Sailing Pilgrimage visited many holy sites around the UK and followed various ancient coastal walking pilgrimage routes. It celebrated the centenary of Christian charity Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea) and was led by the charity's volunteer Russ Fairman. The voyage was unique, involving novices whom Russ did not know, changing almost daily to sail and live with him in a confined space, sailing long distances in all weathers. Russ sailed 2,433 miles in 70 days, arriving at 22 different events on time! During the pilgrimage, he welcomed the crew, hosted them, cooked, sailed, taught them to sail, and often had to nurse those who were seasick. He slept every night on the boat but got little sleep because he oversaw every aspect of the venture including health and safety, repairs, weather watching, forward planning, etc. Russ’ Sailing Pilgrimage raised over £20,000 directly and contributed to £400,000 raised subsequently through a follow up national campaign. This epic venture fostered a deeper understanding of the charity’s work in all the coastal communities that Russ visited.

This FICO webinar will show how a religious pilgrimage can be leveraged for fundraising and awareness raising purposes by a Christian charity. It will also show how some innovative tactics were used in this venture, such as:

(i) having multiple crews rather than a single crew

(ii) having QR codes for donation pages on sailors' vests

(iii) using satellite technology to track the boat around the UK and embedding this in websites and social media pages.

The Sailing Pilgrimage project and its volunteer leader Russ have won, and been shortlisted, for various awards. Given the religious dimensions of this project, it should be of particular interest to fundraisers and communications officers in Christian organisations. Attendees will also hear how the venture built relationships for the charity with coastal parish communities, particularly through 22 area gatherings organised by local churches in all four nations of the UK. It is also a good example of how volunteer support can be maximised by a charity. Come and hear more about this epic endeavour and its lessons for other Christian charities!

This event is free, but tickets are limited and must be booked BEFORE Monday 28th July 2025. (Safeguarding guidelines mean that CIOF need attendee lists in advance.)

Zoom details for this online meeting can only be sent out to those who book by the date above.

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Award Winning Sailing Pilgrimage + networking