Meet the Team
Meet Hilary's Dream Team
Scroll down for individual profiles
Tony Leppard - Project Director
Tony “The Fixer” Leppard was the first person to join the team, at the beginning of March. After just one meeting with Hilary he agreed to take on the role of Project Director on a voluntary basis and to do whatever he could to get the project back up and running. He was, however, a little shocked to receive a phone call from Hilary the following day along the lines of, “I’m so glad you think this is all possible in the timeframe!” He has worked tirelessly, trying to balance his own professional and business commitments with the needs of the project; managing the finances, setting up and managing the commercial and administrative infrastructure, updating the website, managing all PR and media activity, and taking the lead role in completing the formation and registration of the charity. It is in no small part thanks to this confirmed “non-sailor” that Hilary was able to leave from Dover on 16 June 2008.
Toby May - Project Manager
Toby May bravely took on the Project Manager’s job for Hilary’s Round Britain Dream on March 25th having come to talk to Hilary about driving a RIB a fortnight previously. He was originally led to believe that there was a small hill to climb, but quickly discovered it was actually Mount Everest! To make matters worse he had only recently been released from a 6 month (voluntary) stay in an institution on the Isle of Wight - the UK Sailing Academy (UKSA) - with his Oceanmaster’s ticket in his pocket only to find himself back in Cowes and living in the same building. Toby will have day to day control of the project and will make the ultimate decisions as to when and whether we sail based on prevailing conditions.
Mike Stillingfleet - Principal RIB Driver
Mike “Long List” Stillingfleet was press ganged by Toby to be our principal RIB driver having (unfortunately for him :-)) been on the same course at UKSA. Since his interview back in April he has been responsible for the longest lists known to man which the rest of the team have “enjoyed” receiving on a regular basis both by phone and email from warmer climes. He was flown in from Croatia, where he was happily being paid to deliver yachts, on May 9th and is now in an intimate relationship with a “mermaid” (the RIB's engine).
Martin Forster - RIB Crew
Martin Forster is an important member of our “wet crew”, who officially joins the team on May 26th, having just finished his Professional Instruction Training course at, you guessed it, the UKSA; he has already started working in his free time. He understands all sorts of engines, including tractor engines, which is convenient as our RIB is powered by one.
Sean Davis - RIB Crew
Sean “The Salmon” Davis leapt on to the team on Monday, 26th May and seems to be living up to his nickname. Although he is the youngest member of the team he is already proving to be a huge asset, turning his hand to whatever he has been asked to do. We are relying on him to leap from boat to boat, do whatever needs doing and then get back again without getting wet. So far he has failed to fall in, but is it luck or the rest of the crew’s inability to knock him off?
Paul Taroni - Shoreside Co-ordinator/Driver
Paul “No. 7” Taroni has proved a useful person to have as our shore based coordinator and has sacrificed much, leaving most of his personal grooming items back in Kent! He has already survived, and passed, the short range marine VHF operator’s course. Having never been near a boat he seems to be learning fast – he is currently (at 8.00 PM) to be found lying underneath the RIB, getting to know the Mermaid almost as well as Mike. Paul claims to be looking forward to towing a very heavy RIB up and down a very steep hill on the way in to Dover in the Land Rover. He assures me that he has only nearly jack-knifed a lorry once, and that was at least 10 miles away from the hill he is worried about.
Helen Finn - Carer/Driver
Helen “The Hat” Finn joined the team on May 9th as our main carer. Never having been on a boat it was obvious that she was immediately going to be a natural sailor as her first job was to pack an impossible amount of vital, fragile equipment into “Me Too” whilst the boat was still in her trailer. She has already proved to be a key team member, not only looking after Hilary but also turning her hand to any task she has been given, including “yachtie” jobs! Helen is now responsible for the sanity of the entire team, a tough job given that she has little enough of her own. Watch this space :-)
Jacqi Woolf - Shore Team/Driver
Jacqi Woolf is a hugely welcome addition to our dry crew, and brings the female component of the team up to 2.5 (as the 3rd of 4 boys I only class myself as 50% female…) She is also the only person who understands the controls which run the lighting, power and heating components in the girls' motorhome, so neither Helen nor I know how we have coped for the last week pushing random buttons. She has thrown herself into camp life and has coped with everything, from organising the vans to running the Land Rover over to Hayling Island with no visible means of return transportation.
Page last updated on 18 July 2008 at 16:56