Tall Ships crewed by recovering veterans welcome public aboard on 2 May

Two traditionally rigged tall ships, Spirit of Falmouth and Pellew, crewed by a rotating team of 70 wounded, injured and sick (WIS) veterans and serving personnel, will sail into Aberdeen on Friday 1st May as part of the Full Circle Expedition.

The voyage, coordinated by local veteran sailing charity Turn to Starboard and delivered in partnership with Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, aims to raise £300,000 so the charity can purchase a second tall ship to support more veterans facing PTSD, physical injury, isolation and a loss of confidence.

Activities in Aberdeen

The ships are expected to arrive at 2pm on Friday 1 May and Port of Aberdeen's North Pier provides an excellent viewing point to watch them sail in.

The crew will welcome the public onboard from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday 2 May. Access is via the pedestrian gates on York Place, entry is free and no tickets are required.

Full Circle are hosting an evening of Sea Shanties at the Prince of Wales, 7 St Nicholas Lane, Aberdeen from 7pm. Come along, soak up the atmosphere, sing your heart out, and meet some of the Full Circle crew. It’s the perfect way to spend evening! 

Founded by Prince Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games is an international adaptive sporting event that uses competitive sport to support the recovery and rehabilitation of WIS service personnel and veterans, bringing together nations from around the world to share their journeys of resilience.

Full Circle set sail from Falmouth on 17 March 2026 and will travel anticlockwise around the UK, stopping at 23 ports in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, before returning to Falmouth on 11 June 2026. 

The voyage will carry the Invictus Games Flag around the UK, building momentum towards the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 one-year-to-go event at the NEC in July 2026.

The crew is expected to dock in Aberdeen for two days. There, the Invictus Flag will be handed over to the City of Aberdeen and raised to honour the crew, local veterans and all of those competing at the Invictus Games. Formalities will include a flag handover and raising ceremony on arrival, with representatives from the Port of Aberdeen in attendance.

During their time in the city, the crew will take part in a range of activities including a morning gathering, opportunities for the public to visit the boats, and an evening music event featuring veteran Will Keating. The visit will conclude with the crew’s departure on the Sunday.

To donate to Full Circle and help Turn to Starboard purchase a second tall ship, so that the charity can support more veterans facing challenges such as PTSD, physical injury, isolation and loss of confidence. visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/t2sfullcircle