Restoring a 76ft sailing boat
raising awareness for men’s mental health.
our goal is to offer life changing adventure experiences to men who find themselves at a cross roads in life, in search of purpose, community and connection, saving lives as we go.
our first mission? restore a heritage sailing vessel with a rich storied past, and sail her across the atlantic with 12 men with limited sailing experience.
The greater man challenge
Whilst there have been great leaps forward in the discussion around men’s mental health in recent years, men still account for around 80% of suicides in the UK each year.
Debunking the stigma around men talking about the challenges of day to day life, is the essential foundation to saving lives.
We understand that men’s mental health effects everybody, that vulnerability is strength, and community is the answer.
we are a registered non-profit organisation
project timeline
march 2025 - discovery & purchase - documentary filming commences, youtube & socials launched.
summer 2025 - hull repairs - full hull survey, repairs & respray at turks shipyard, experienced documentary producer onboarded.
autumn 2025 - back in the water - internal strip out continues, brought back to a hollow hull,12 men from different backgrounds secured for transatlantic, documentary funding applications submitteD, bostik comes on as first official brand partner.
winter 2025 to spring 2026 - race against the clock - internal refit commences - electrics, woodwork, interiors, journey to scotland to find sitka spruce for composite masts, deck sanded, re-caulked and oiled, wheel house raised, sails commissioned.
spring / summer 2026 - learning curves - Restoration continues round the clock, transatlantic team join on weekends, bi-weekly team calls & team building, sail training begins with paul bew, skipper from the 1992 crossing.
summer 2026 - second maiden voyage - naming ceremony - boat renamed ‘the greater man challenge’, launch event organised in chatham marina inc media coverage, team sail the boat round the uk - picking up “hitch hikers” who learned to sail on the gmc over her 25 years in service.
autumn 2026 - media & mental health - increasing media coverage - speaking at events / interviews, world suicide prevention day + world mental health day, suicide intervention training with ‘tough to talk’ charity for transatlantic team.
winter 2026 / 2027 - finishing touches - boat is prepped and finished for the transatlantic, pre-journey documentary interviews conducted, sail training continues.
spring / summer 2027 - The transatlantic - the 12 crew members embark on the journey of a lifetime, sailing from manchester to lisbon, the canaries to the Caribbean.
summer / autumn 2027 - The transformation - post transatlantic interviews conducted, documentary enters post-production.
spring / summer 2028 - the premier - the documentary premiers at festivals and screenings.
the future of the gmc
legacy building - the non-profit continues raising awareness for men’s mental health by providing adventure trips for those in need both on and off the boat, offered on a sliding scale of affordability, with the mission of promoting good mental fitness, communication and community building.
The boat - the Greater Manchester Challenge - was built in the 1980's using funds raised from charitable donations, and used by the Ocean Youth Club to teach young cadets at sea.
In 1992 she competed in the Tall Sails Competition completing a transatlantic under young skipper, Paul Bew, and featured in a BBC television program of the same name.
For the past 15 years she has been collecting rust and dust in Chatham Marina, until now...
The boat is being restored to her former glory, and we will retrace the transatlantic crossing in 2027 with a crew of 12 men from different backgrounds, and different stages in their mental health journey.
The process is being documented on YouTube, and we are producing a feature length documentary for release once her second maiden voyage has been completed. (Documentary funded separately).
Whilst completing the extensive works, we will be discussing the themes of men’s mental health with professionals and people of influence within the mental health space.
The Greater Man Challenge is a registered non-profit.
PLay me…
Please Donate
In order to realise our goal, we are relying on the generosity of donors to The Greater Man cause.
If you are able, please donate by following the link below.
community fundraising
Whether it be a sponsored run, a bake sail or a soapy car wash, you can support The Greater Man cause through the GiveWheel platform.
Step 1: Create a GiveWheel account.
Step 2: Set up your fundraiser and select The Greater Man Challenge as a beneficiary page.
Step 3: Start fundraising.
Sponsorship
If you would like to get in touch about sponsorship opportunities, please contact us on sponsorship@thegreatermanchallenge.org and we will gladly share more infomation with you.
Charity Partners
Tough To Talk is a UK charity whose mission is to reduce male suicide and break the stigma surrounding men’s issues and poor mental health.
They collaborate with organisations to confront this crisis directly, offering impactful initiatives such as our powerful Tough Talks, suicide prevention and intervention training, and bespoke, targeted campaigns designed to support men and foster cultural change.
ANDYSMANCLUB are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free to attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online.
They want to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation. #ITSOKAYTOTALK
Mandem Meetup is a grassroots charity promoting, correcting and improving the conversation around men’s mental health and wellbeing.
They provide an open, inclusive community for all those who identify as a man, integrating a range of social, holistic and more ‘traditional’ forms of clinical support, ranging from psycho-social interventions and recreational activities, to practical advice and guidance, as well as talking therapy and more.
Bereavement in all forms can be traumatic, however suicide often brings a range of added emotions to navigate.
The team’s passion for helping others deal with this specific type of grief comes from the personal experiences of losing a loved one to suicide. It all started with co-founders, Amelia and Emma, who both lost a parent to suicide.
With their entrepreneurial spirit and empathetic nature, this double act is determined to do things differently; providing the support needed whilst also opening up the conversation and addressing the stigma.
the team
Meet The GMC team, a group of friends with a diverse set of skills, a passion for restoration and storytelling, and an understanding of the need to speak up in support of one another.
Remi, an award winning documentary filmmaker, Charles, a filmmaker, producer and director, and Christian, a woodworker, metalworker and dreamer.
Contact us
If you would like to reach out, we’d love to hear from you.
All Aboard On...