Sail 4 Cancer Named Charity Of The Month By Yachting Monthly
20 August 2026
We are delighted to share some wonderful news from the sailing community. Sail 4 Cancer has been featured as Yachting Monthly’s ‘Charity Of The Month‘ in its September 2026 edition.
For a charity that has always believed passionately in the therapeutic power of the sea, being recognised by one of the UK’s leading sailing magazines is particularly special. The feature shines a light on our story, our work and, most importantly, the families living with cancer who benefit from the respite experiences we provide.
Sail 4 Cancer began with a very personal experience. In 1999, the charity’s founder lost his father to cancer. Wanting to create a fundraising event in his dad’s memory, Andy – a keen dinghy sailor whose father had served in the Royal Navy – chartered a tall ship and challenged 50 people to climb its 150-foot masts.
But something unexpected happened that day. Three of the participants were themselves undergoing cancer treatment. Once they stepped aboard, however, cancer seemed to disappear from their thoughts. They pushed themselves to achieve things they had never imagined their bodies would allow them to do again.
That experience changed everything.
Andy realised that what many people living with cancer needed was respite – an opportunity to escape, even temporarily, from the daily reality of diagnosis and treatment. He also recognised that families needed quality time together: the chance to make happy memories away from hospitals, appointments and the shadow of cancer.
Sail 4 Cancer was established in 2001 with that purpose at its heart.
Over the past 25 years, our respite programme has evolved considerably. While sailing remains central to our identity, today we provide a much wider range of experiences for cancer patients and their families. These include sailing trips, canal boat holidays, seaside breaks and family days out – all designed to provide precious time together and create memories that last.
By the end of 2025, Sail 4 Cancer and the wider 4 Cancer Group had delivered 37,000 respite days – representing 37,000 days when people affected by cancer were able to step away from the everyday challenges of their illness and enjoy something positive with the people they love.
One particularly important aspect of our work is helping families reconnect with places or activities that have special meaning. In around 20% of cases, our respite support has enabled families to revisit somewhere or enjoy an activity that was significant to someone they have lost.
The Yachting Monthly feature also highlights the incredible support we have received from the sailing community over the years, including sailing with supporters such as Sir Ben Ainslie, Dee Caffari and Australian sailing star Nick Moloney.
But Sail 4 Cancer is about far more than famous names. It is about the thousands of volunteers, sailing clubs, boat owners, fundraisers, donors and supporters who make these experiences possible.
As we look towards the future, we remain determined to ensure that more families affected by cancer can experience the freedom, joy and escapism that time on or beside the water can provide.
We would like to thank Yachting Monthly for recognising Sail 4 Cancer and, most importantly, for helping us share our story with the sailing community.
If you would like to support our work, there are many ways to get involved – from organising a fundraising event or donating a boat, to volunteering your time or simply helping us spread the word.
Together, we can give families affected by cancer something precious: time to escape, time together and time to make memories.
