Going Full Circle: Veterans to join voyage around UK as Invictus Games loom

A 2,000-nautical-mile voyage around the UK is being launched by sailing charity Turn to Starboard and the Invictus Games as part of the build-up to the 2027 event in Birmingham.

The voyage will be taken on by two tall ships, crewed by serving personnel and veterans who are wounded, injured or sick.

The Full Circle expedition, beginning on 17 March 2026, will mark one year to go before the Games – literally flying the Invictus flag on its journey from Vancouver in Canada for the next edition.

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From Falmouth - and back again

Two traditionally rigged tall ships - Pellew and Spirit of Falmouth – will travel anti-clockwise from Falmouth and back again.

Around 600 days out from the challenge, members of the team got together in London to raise awareness of the event.

Former Royal Marine Dan Fielding, who will be taking part in the event, is the chief operating officer at Turn to Starboard.

He broke his back and later faced mental health issues before finding purpose through sailing.

The boats will look after us

"The UK coast and the waters around it are sometimes the most treacherous in the world. We've got the biggest tidal ranges, or the second biggest in the world, big currents," he explained.

"We end up with a very, very changeable weather system, just where we are with all that wind and weather coming over the Atlantic and then finishing on our little island.

"These boats are built for big seas like that, they will look after us. It's us pink squishy things on board that tend to bash ourselves around on the boat, rather than the boat."

The road to recovery

The journey should take between 12 and 13 weeks, featuring 22 UK port stops to increase engagement and awareness of the Invictus spirit.

The Royal Navy's Captain Lee Hazard is deputy director of programmes and impact delivery for the Birmingham Invictus Games 2027.

"It's bigger than just the Games," he said. "We're thinking a lot about social impact projects on the run-up to the Games and how we can nudge the dial on some of those barriers to recovery of our wounded personnel."