A GROUP of eight young people had a fabulous trip out on the water after leaving Burnham Yacht Harbour on board Rannoch Adventure's 53ft support yacht 'Jack'.

The youngsters came from the Youth Links project in Southend and had an unforgettable June half term treat - with many of them never having been on the water before.

After leaving the Burnham Yacht Harbour, skipper Charlie Pitcher (founder of Rannoch Adventure) took the group down the River Crouch, past Burnham town water front and on into the River Roach - where they had the delight of seeing seals playing in the water and basking on the mud banks.

They then ventured further into the River Roach up to Paglesham.

One of the young people taking part in the adventure, Matthew, said: "When I heard about the trip I instantly wanted to come. I've never been on a boat before but Jack is bigger and better than I thought.

"I loved having a go at steering and feeling like I was in control of the boat. The seals were brilliant and the whole day exceeded my expectations. It's been adventurous, fun and everyone's been really friendly."

Charlie came up with the idea for the trip after watching the BBC's Children In Need coverage in November.

Charlie said: "It's easy to donate money to charity but I wanted to do more.

"I've had a lifetime on the water and fully understand the benefits that being outside, enjoying our coastline and trying your hand at something new can bring to young people. So we made contact with Youth Links in Southend and made it happen.

"I loved chatting to them all, showing them the ropes and pointing out where the remains of Charles Darwin's ship HMS Beagle lies in the River Roach. They embraced the whole experience in a totally positive manner and it was wonderful to see their smiles and enthusiasm. It was a win win for everyone – what a great, fulfilling day we all had."

-Youth Links (part of Trust Links) is a peer support group for young people aged 11 to 18 which offers a programme of therapeutic, creative and social activities designed to enhance and improve mental wellbeing. It is all about giving young people a place to go where they can feel free to express themselves and learn about mental health.