GOODS from more than 40 local businesses set sail across the Bristol Channel yesterday (Thursday) on board the tall ship the Irene of Bridgwater as part of a symbolic seafaring gesture.

Students from the West Somerset Community College and young people from the YMCA helped to crew the ship, which was chartered jointly by Minehead Development Trust, Prospects Services and YMCA South West.

The delegation of young ambassadors was joined by a host of civic dignitaries, including Minehead Mayor Val Welch.

Today (Friday) the West Somerset contingent will meet the Mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan Margaret Wilkinson and students from Barry Welsh School 'Ysgol Gyfun Bro Morgannwg'.

They will hand over their West Somerset hamper of goods, in exchange for one made up from goods from the Vale of Glamorgan.

The aim is to celebrate the heritage trade and cultural links between the two towns and is a precursor for Minehead's inaugural harbour festival tomorrow (Saturday).

The Irene was built in 1907 and traded around the Bristol Channel and overseas most recently featuring as the flag ship in the Hollywood blockbuster 'Pirates of the Caribbean'.

As part of Minehead's harbour festival, the Irene is being sailed by people from across West Somerset to enable them to experience the thrill of working on-board a topsail ketch.

Festival organiser, Minehead vision manager Stephen Hooper, said: "Minehead and South Wales have been linked for millennia, even the name Minehead is an anglicisation of 'Mynydd' the Welsh word for mountain.

"The Irene will be the first trading vessel to carry goods from Minehead since 1959, it is very exciting to be recreating and reawakening this important maritime legacy."

The symbolic hampers will be donated to raise money for local charities; the hamper from the Vale of Glamorgan will be raffled at the Harbour Festival by members of Minehead Baptist Church in support of the Minehead Hope Centre.

Cllr Richard Lillis, who is representing the Minehead Vision Group during the trip, said: "Minehead's quay town, the harbour and the Bristol Channel are undervalued economic and cultural assets and the huge interest in both the harbour festival and the tall ship adventure is very encouraging.

"It is anticipated this will be the first of many annual Minehead Harbour Festivals."

Martin Hodgson, chief executive of the YMCA Somerset coast, added: "This is a fantastic opportunity for the young people who are attending; an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives."

l The harbour festival includes a children's pirate party and Minehead's most famous pirate - in recent years, at least - will be joining in the fun to raise money for charity.

In December 2011 Charlie Kennedy spent a week dressed as a pirate to raise money for Claire House Children's Hospice near Liverpool in memory of her seven-year-old cousin Ellie Cook.

She will back in pirate dress tomorrow, but this time her timbers really will be shivering as she will be having her head shaved during the party to raise money for Claire House and the Children's Hospice South West.

Anyone who would like to sponsor Charlie can log on to her fundraising website http://www.justgiving.com/southwestpirates">www.justgiving.com/southwestpirates.