Travel and tourism students from Cornwall College have formed an alliance with the tourism service of Carrick council which will provide them with the unique experience of acting as stewards at the Funchal 500 Tall Ship Regatta in Falmouth in September.

This joint venture has been supported by the Cornwall Education Business Partnership, who have launched a national pilot The Catalyst Business Interchange' which provides opportunities for lecturers to update their knowledge by spending time in industry. Cornwall College tourism lecturer, Suzette Sadler, has spent three days in the Tourism Service at Carrick council, forging links on behalf of the students and working alongside the team preparing for the Funchal 500 Tall Ships Regatta activities taking place in Falmouth.

The Catalyst Business Interchange will also support a reciprocal visit from the regatta organisers in Falmouth to the college, in June, to conduct workshops in order to prepare the students for their role as stewards.

The workshops will take place in the college's training room based at Falmouth Docks and will provide a variety of activities for the students. The organisers will discuss the importance of the event to the local tourism industry, explain the skills required to steward at the event and health and safety within the docks. The students will also undertake a tour of the town, conducted by a Blue Badge Guide from Falmouth Tourist Information Centre. A further workshop will be delivered by John Hick chairman of the Funchal 500 Tall Ships Regatta in Falmouth on the ships and the background of the regatta.

Samantha Groom, tourism officer for Carrick district council said: "The help of volunteers is an important part of the success of this event, and to have the opportunity of involving tourism students means the regatta gets enthusiastic volunteers and the students get first hand experience of what is shaping up to be the biggest event in Cornwall this year."

The Funchal 500 Tall Ships Regatta is organised by Sail Training International as the centre-piece celebration of the 500th anniversary of Funchal, capital of the island of Madeira. The official website of the event, which will include tracking the fleet when the race is under way, is www.tallshipsraces.com/funchal500.

For details of activities in Falmouth keep a look-out at www.thepacket.co.uk/tallships

1:56pm Tuesday 22nd April 2008

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