Derry-Londonderry to Nominate Local Heroes for Race Place

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has announced today that Derry City and Strabane District Council has been gifted a unique opportunity for two community workers or volunteers to win a place on board the Derry~Londonderry~Doire yacht for the 2015-16 race.

Entitled ‘Voice of the Community’, organisations across the city and district are invited to nominate someone they believe has made a notable contribution to the life of their community, with the ultimate prize of sailing a leg of the race.

Explaining his reasons for awarding the race prize to Derry City and Strabane District Council, Sir Robin said: “The Voice of the Community allows us to give something back to the people of Derry-Londonderry and Strabane as a means of saying thank you for the incredible hospitality and support the community has given to us over the last five years.

“It is designed to reward those who spend their time trying to better the lives of others. Selflessness and commitment are important qualities we encourage among all of our Clipper Race crew.”

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Elisha McCallion, is urging community groups to put forward their nominations. She added: “We are hugely thankful to Sir Robin and the Clipper Race for gifting us this unique Voice of the Community bursary.

“Our community is full of people who dedicate their time and effort to making our city the successful, thriving place we are all so proud to be part of. The Clipper Race is hugely popular here so this is a great opportunity for our local community heroes to represent the city around the world whilst having a truly memorable life experience on board our Derry~Londonderry~Doire yacht.”

Community groups are invited to nominate someone they believe has made a real difference to their local area by filling out a nomination form.

All nominees must live within Derry City and Strabane District Council. They must also be over 18 years old, have a great sense of adventure and be committed to sharing their knowledge and skills with others as a ‘Voice of a Community’ ambassador on the Clipper 2015-16 Race. Winners must also be available to complete four weeks of race training ahead of joining the race.

The deadline for nominations is Monday 8 June at 12 noon. Submissions will be shortlisted for public voting on Wednesday 10 June with the successful candidates decided by the highest combined scores achieved through public vote and leadership assessment training.

Community groups interested in finding out more about applying or the process involved should contact Derry City and Strabane District Council via email [email protected] or download an application form directly at www.derrycityandstrabanedistrict.com/clipperrace