After founding patron Dame Ellen MacArthur was awarded the Legion d’Honneur by French president Nicolas Sarkozy, the Ellen MacArthur Trust has announced its plans for a busy summer.

The UK has 21 young person’s principal cancer treatment centres in the UK, and in 2008 The Ellen MacArthur Trust will work with 16 of these, aiming to double the number of young people it works with for the second year in a row with increased yacht trips and residential dinghy sailing weeks in 2008.

Ellen is pictured above with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and three children who have benefitted from the the EMT’s activities since it was founded six years ago. The charity is looking to build on its successes in 2007, to work with new hospitals and young people affected by cancer and leukaemia all over the UK.

In June, The Trust will enter one boat in the JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race. The young people, invited back after taking part in one of the four-day sailing trips, will spend two days training before racing in one of the largest participant sporting events in the UK.

In August, The Trust enters its last year as the official charity for Skandia Cowes Week.

The Trust will also be auctioning off items of clothing from past campaigns on eBay.

Keep up with their activities, and support their work here