Burgess Yacht Crew

As regular listeners will know, on this podcast we do our best to keep conversations about diversity and equality at the forefront, which is why we are so pleased to welcome our guest today, who in our opinion has been a real trailblazer in this area. We are of course, talking about the one and only Rhea Rouw, founder of Yachting International Radio.

Rhea has fearlessly tackled tough conversations and been a champion for change throughout her career. Her genuine passion for fostering diversity and inclusion within yachting is truly admirable. So join us as we delve into Rhea's background, what led her in to the yachting industry and what drives her relentless pursuit for change.

Today, we're thrilled to welcome Danella Hopkins for our first episode of a new series all about the newly released Environmental Crew Guidelines. A project Danella has been instrumental in developing. Created through a partnership between the Water Revolution Foundation and MB92, these guidelines serve as a comprehensive resource, comprising of 24 sections aimed at empowering crew members to adopt environmentally responsible practices in their daily operations. Join us as we uncover Danella's background, her dedication to sustainability at sea, and her pivotal role in shaping these invaluable guidelines.

This month, as part of our annual healthy living week focussed on addictive habits, we had the privilege of sitting down with Andrew Roch: founder of The Crew Academy and The Crew Mess. The Crew Mess is yachting’s primary addiction support and intervention service, and Andrew shares his insights on how addiction can impact the lives of yacht crew. His perspectives provide valuable reflections and shed light on the importance of addressing addiction within the maritime community.

On today's episode, we're really pleased to welcome Ben Willows from UKSA - a maritime youth charity and a beacon of excellence in training. UKSA's mission is truly inspiring as they not only provide world-class training but also ignite a passion for the sea in children and young people.

Today we will discuss UKSA's commitment to equipping the next generation with valuable life skills, as well as how their cadetship programme is opening up doors for those from disadvantaged backgrounds and creating pathways for young minds to thrive in maritime careers. 

In honour of International Men’s Day, we are thrilled to be joined by qualified counsellor, life coach and voice behind 'Bro Talk' on Yachting International Radio: Gary Napier. Together, we explore the complexities surrounding men's mental well-being and address why opening up can prove challenging. Gary shares his own experiences with counselling and discusses the importance of creating safe spaces where men can come together and share their burdens. 

In this episode we're casting a spotlight on a topic that resonates deeply with most people: stress. 

Our special guest, Zoe Scott, a former yacht crew member turned effortless meditation teacher, shares her invaluable insights. Zoe's journey from the fast-paced world of yachts to the tranquil shores of mindfulness offers a unique perspective when it comes to tackling stress on board. Together we explore the particular stressors that yacht crew face and uncover some tools and techniques to help them navigate the turbulent waters of life at sea.

If you fancy giving effortless mediation a go, make sure you keep listening until the end of the episode for a taster session with Zoe.

On todays episode we're taking a deep dive into the ever-evolving world of social media. To help us, we are thrilled to be joined by Elle Mace, an Intuitive Eating Therapist, and a renowned Nutrition and Diet Specialist. Together, we'll unpack the ways in which social media influences our lives, particularly when it comes to our relationship with body image and authenticity.

In a world where our screens are filled with picture-perfect moments and airbrushed realities, it's crucial to understand the impact this has on our well-being. Elle brings a wealth of expertise to the table, and today, we're going to have a candid conversation about how we can navigate this digital landscape in a way that fosters a healthier and more authentic existence.

For this episode we are thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with renowned language alchemist Tracey Jones as part of our diversity series. Together we delve into the crucial topic of language and communication and why understanding the intricacies of these topics is so important when working on board a yacht. Tracey brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this conversation, having dedicated her career to helping individuals and organizations navigate the complexities of effective communication. Whether it's maintaining a harmonious environment in the crew quarters or providing impeccable service to discerning guests, clear and effective communication is the key to success.

If there are any subjects in particular you would like us to cover in the podcast, please get in touch - crew@burgessyachts.com.

Embarking on a new journey after a fulfilling career in yachting can be both exciting and challenging. In this enlightening episode, our guest Mark Upton, an ex-captain with extensive experience in the yachting industry, shares his expertise on how to navigate this unique transition. 

Mark is the founder of Crew Family Office, and throughout this chat we explore the valuable services his company offers to support crew in navigating the complexities of post-yachting life. Whether you're seeking guidance on financial management, strategic planning, or general business insights, this episode is a treasure trove of knowledge for crewmembers looking to set sail on a new and successful chapter. 

Join us for an eye-opening episode as we delve into the important topic of "Confronting racism and discrimination on board" with the esteemed Captain Kelly Gordon!

In this thought-provoking conversation, Kelly shares her first-hand experiences and practical strategies for addressing racism within the maritime industry. From fostering a culture of inclusivity to promoting open dialogue, she provides invaluable insights on navigating these challenging situations and promoting positive change.

Don't miss out on this empowering discussion which sheds light on the steps we can all take to create a more equitable and respectful environment on board.

If there are any subjects in particular you would like us to cover in the podcast, please get in touch - crew@burgessyachts.com.

Trigger warning - please be aware that we will be discussing mental health and suicidal thoughts in this episode.

Today we are so thrilled to be joined by Melanie White, ex-yachtie and author of 'Behind Ocean Lines', a very personal account of how Melanie struggled with her mental health during her time on yachts. Melanie is so candid in her book, talking about topics that most of us find very hard to talk about, including having suicidal thoughts. For people struggling with their mental health, not being able to talk about it can be one of the worst parts of the illness, and by being so vulnerable Melanie is helping to open up these conversations around mental health. Her story helps us to break down the stereotypes, and take the stigma out of something that affects us all.

If there are any subjects in particular you would like us to cover in the podcast, please get in touch - crew@burgessyachts.com

For our second International Women's Day special episode we are joined by Second Stewardess Tayla Smith – Last year Tayla took part in the Serengeti Girls Run, a three-day 63 KM run taking place across Tanzania Serengeti Plains, with the goal of raising money for female empowerment programmes in the Grumeti region. We talk to Tayla about her reasons for running this gruelling race and about her work promoting menstrual wellness. Tayla really opens herself up in this chat, sharing her own experiences and explaining how those experiences led her to want to help other women learn how to listen to their bodies and to understand the impact our lifestyle choices can have on our menstrual cycle.

Trigger warning - please be aware that we will be discussing eating disorders in this episode.

If there are any subjects in particular you would like us to cover in the podcast, please get in touch - crew@burgessyachts.com.

Today is International Women’s Day! To celebrate we have two podcast episode specials for you!

Our first episode is with the incredible Tracy Edwards MBE – Tracy famously entered the first all-female crew into the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Race on sailing yacht Maiden. Maiden crossed the start line on 02 September 1989 and sailed into the history books. Maiden went on to win two of the legs and came second in class overall. The best result for a British boat since 1977 and the best result for an all-female crew ever. Tracy was awarded an MBE and became the first woman in its 34-year history to receive the yachtsman trophy of the year award.

Tracy speaks to Burgess Head of Yacht Management Ryan Green and Burgess Assistant Crew Manager Lorena Gimenez about her incredible career at sea, her experience with female empowerment and how we can encourage more women to join the yachting industry.

We also highly recommend you check out the Netflix documentary ‘Maiden’ to learn more about Tracy’s story.

Thanks to Tracy's team at the Maiden Factor for supplying the below links for any women out there looking for more information on how to join the maritime industry.

We may be almost two months in to 2023 but that doesn't mean we can't think about setting new healthy habits, and in current times, what better habit to focus on than to be in control of our finances. So, for this chat we were so thrilled to be joined by Tia Taylor, Yacht Management Accountant and founder of Luxury Learning. She spoke to us about why it's important to plan for our future and some of the money management techniques we can all use.

If there are any subjects in particular you would like us to cover in the podcast, please get in touch - crew@burgessyachts.com. 

After what has been an unprecedented couple of years for everyone, we are delighted to be joined by Burgess chief executive Jonathan Beckett and fleet crew manager Lucy Medd for our end of year special! They discuss the impact of the past three years on both Burgess and our crew, as well as the exciting projects we have planned for 2023!

Thank you so much for listening during 2022 and if there are any subjects in particular you would like us to cover next year, please get in touch - crew@burgessyachts.com

For our series on sustainability, we have been talking about ocean pollution – topics such as microplastics, waste management and sunscreens. In this episode we are going to be talking about wastewater – specifically wastewater maintenance, treatment systems, the products that we use which end up in our wastewater and the impact this can have on our oceans and the marine life.

We welcome back our Burgess Blue Oceans Team to help us dissect this topic – Alex Guy, Elliott McMullan and Tash Trenear-Harvey, ex crew members now working at Burgess, alongside Eva Matson and Georgina Menheneott from the Burgess Blue Oceans programme. ⁠

Happy International Men's Day! IMD is all about the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities. It highlights positive role models and raises awareness of men’s well-being.

The theme for IMD 2022 is “Helping Men and Boys”. So, with that in mind we have a special podcast episode dedicated to discussing men's mental health, what the struggles are on board and why men might find it more difficult to ask for help.

To help us open up this conversation we are very pleased to be joined by Burgess technical manager and ex-seafarer Steve Galloway-Kirkland. Like many of us, Steve has experienced issues such as stress and anxiety. But by adopting a multi-disciplinary package of self-care, Steve has learnt to manage his wellbeing and is taking this one step further by training to be a counsellor so that he can help others. So, he really does have a unique perspective on understanding mental health.

Want to get in touch? crew@burgessyachts.com

Today we are continuing our theme on diversity by looking at racial, ethnic and cultural differences. We discuss what the terms mean and why it is important that we understand the differences so that we can work towards creating a safe and inclusive working environment for all crew.

To discuss this topic, we're really excited to be joined by Gabriela Barragán - yacht crew member and former host of the podcast 'Diversity in Yachting'.

In episode five with the Burgess Blue Ocean team we are talking Reduce, Reuse, Refill and Recycle. Despite our familiarity with the four Rs, and the fact that “zero waste” trends seem to be advancing at lightning speed, waste is still a huge problem around the world, and one that continues to grow exponentially. We discuss what is and isn't being done within the industry and how we as a management company can help.

We are joined by Alex Guy, an ex crew member now working at Burgess, alongside Michela Betti and Georgina Menheneott from the Burgess Blue Oceans programme. ⁠

New episodes from this series will be posted at the end of each month ⏰

In our series on diversity we have started looking at the definitions around the topics of equality, diversity and inclusion, and the importance of accepting our individual differences. Today we are joined by the wonderful Karine Rayson from 'The Crew Coach' where we discuss acceptance and respect, what it looks like, the impact this can have on our mental wellbeing and how this can promote a positive working environment.

Join us for episode four with the Burgess Blue Ocean team - this episode is all about sunscreen and the impact it can have on coral bleaching!

Coral reefs rival rainforests in terms of diversity of wildlife – they support around 25% of all marine life including hard and soft corals, sponges, crustaceans, fish, sea turtles, sharks, dolphins and so much more. They are a real treasure trove of biodiversity. Despite their importance, warming waters, pollution, overfishing and coastal developments are killing coral reefs around the world, so today we discuss what small changes we can all make to encourage the recovery of coral reefs around the world.

We are joined by ex crew members Alex Guy and Tash Trenear-Harvey, as well as Eva Matson from the Burgess Blue Oceans programme. ⁠

New episodes from this series will be posted at the end of each month ⏰⁠

Today we welcome back Jenny Matthews from She of the Sea who is helping us break down the meaning of gender equality. We'll discuss why gender awareness is so important for our progress towards equality and why it's ok to make honest mistakes as long as we show respect and learn from the experience.