Miles is a Deal Advisory Partner at KPMG and the Chair of STT’s parent charity, the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation. Miles is a lifelong yacht and dinghy sailor with wide ranging experience of sail training and of the benefits that the maritime environment can bring. As a former Royal Naval Reserve officer, Miles has a strong personal connection to Portsmouth and he is delighted to bring his skills and experience to working with young people to broaden horizons and develop potential.

Rachel started her career as a cadet with Shell Tankers, where she served on tankers and bulk carriers and obtained her Masters Certificate of Competency. She left Shell and joined Wightlink as their first female officer, rising to the rank of Senior Master. After a number of years, she left Wightlink and became on Admiralty Pilot in Portsmouth Harbour where she was able to continue her love of ship handling. Mainly piloting naval vessels from an assortment of countries and assisting in the training of bridge teams.

In addition to piloting, Rachel is also a Younger Brother of Trinity House where she became the Trinity House liaison with Sail Training Trust. She was awarded the Victoria Drummond award in 2011 for raising the awareness of women in the marine industry and the Merchant Navy Medal in 2019 for services to the careers of young seafarers. She became a trustee to the Seafarers Hospital Society in 2018. In her leisure time, Rachel and her husband are raising 3 children and enjoyed messing around on the water in smaller craft, walking with the family dog and cycling.

Nick Harrison started his career as a shipwright apprentice in the Portsmouth Naval Dockyard. Since then he has been running his own business in Portsmouth employing local people. He has a sailing background – making his name as a sailor competing in the Laser class and has won Laser Masters Worlds, Europeans and National Championship and Albacore World and National Championships. As well as contributing his time to the STT Board, Nick sits on the Board of the parent charity, the Andrew Simpson Foundation and Chairs the group Health and Safety Committee meetings.

Ed is the founder of Sail Training Trust and is now a Trustee. His role as a social entrepreneur with a number of community initiatives is borne of a long standing faith in the need to raise aspirations of young people to enable them to be the best they can be, no matter what start they have in life.

A keen sailor all his life, Ed and his family all spend much of their leisure time on the water, adventuring together and sharing the joys of sailing with others.

Ed’s career was launched with eight years as a front line infantry officer serving in various parts of the world. He then joined IBM in 1990 pursuing a career as a leader in IT strategic outsourcing; winning and running a wide variety of contracts across the globe, acquiring skills which, since summer 2013, he now puts to use raising aspirations in inner city communities.

David joined Portsmouth Sail Training Trust in January 2015 following his decision to cease being a full time finance executive. David’s decision to build a portfolio of a small number of local clients was taken alongside a long term commitment to STT to be its part-time Finance Director and Trustee.

David’s passion for sailing stems from his first experiences in a dinghy though Venture Scouts. Having introduced both sons to sailing at an early age, David has seen how much they have benefitted not only from the sailing itself but also, more importantly, from the life skills, experiences and friendships developed.

David has also worked actively as a volunteer supporting the Royal Yachting Association junior and youth programmes.