Saltwater Stone supports Pip Hare
Pro-bono support of round-the-world sailor Pip Hare and her Vendée Globe campaign announced.
Saltwater Stone is a natural match for Pip, who is managing her bid for the Vendée from her IMOCA 60 yacht Superbigou, berthed at Poole Quay Boat Haven. Over recent years we’ve supported various individuals and teams as they follow their dreams. Most recently, the agency acted as PR advisor to The Four Oarsmen, a group of novice rowers who decisively won the 2017 Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, rowing from the Canary Islands to Antigua in just 29d 14h 34min and setting a world record which still stands.
Saltwater Stone MD Georgina Bartlett said: “Pip is an inspirational woman and I am delighted to be supporting her as she takes on her personal challenge. Inspiring youngsters through her school initiative adds a valuable legacy to the race, and by working with her we’ll be learning too.
Inspiring youngsters through her school initiative adds a valuable legacy to the race, and by working with her we’ll be learning too.”
“If we are able to find time to offer our services free of charge and the stories inspire us, I like having a pro-bono client in our portfolio. There are many great initiatives that just need a bit of professional help to set them on their journey.”
She also differs in her approach to how others should benefit from her adventure. Many competitors nominate a charity to share the publicity, but Pip, true to form, is going her own way.
“My sister teaches at Fairlight Primary School in Brighton,” she explained. “They were studying the impact of single-use plastics on our environment, so while on the Bermudes 1000 Race earlier this year I sent them reports about my progress, logging any wildlife and pollution I saw along the way. These children are already completely engaged with the problems caused to our environment by our current habits involving single-use plastics, and their generation will doubtless be the ones to make big changes.”
The collaboration was such a success that Pip plans to use the Vendée and qualifying races to help more schools by providing linked educational material. “Sailing covers a huge range of topics, from the environment and conservation right through to mathematics,” she said. “Soon we’ll be providing maths material for 30 schools, and during the Vendée will have educational packages online for anyone to use. It’s a real privilege to engage with the oceans in the way that I do, and it’s important to share the staggering beauty of our environment in a positive way that helps young people feel ownership of our natural world.”