Coldstore installations expert Simon Tysoe has announced his retirement from business and the start of a new voyage – an 18-month round-the-world sailing trip! Mr Tysoe left school at 16 and learned his trade as an electrician and panel fitter before founding several successful companies around his home city of Leicester, including S Tysoe Installations, Midlands Access Platforms, TPS Hire and a substantial property portfolio.
His main company, S Tysoe Installations was bought in March 2021 to accompany ISD Solutions and PLG Insulations under the P&M Group. After a three-year transition period Mr Tysoe, aged 61, has now retired, saying he is confident the company he founded is “in good hands”. His other business interests will continue to be managed in his absence by staff and associates.
The retirement gift to himself is the commissioning of a cutting-edge, 60ft Oyster sailing yacht, christened ‘Distraction 3’, in which he will sail around the world for the next year and a half.
The boat will set sail from Ipswich to Guernsey before a potentially stormy few days to Gran Canaria, where the trans-Atlantic voyage, expected to take around 18 days, begins in earnest.
A crew of four will then see Distraction 3 sail from the Caribbean island of St Lucia in early January as part of a flotilla of some 200 boats in the World ARC adventure race for 2025-26.
In celebration of his adventure around the world, The P&M Group hope to raise over £200,000 for a select group of good causes – The Lord’s Taverners cricket charity and conservation programmes Mareco and Project Seagrass.
“I’ve sailed the Atlantic before,” he said, “and covered some 40,000 nautical miles in trips over the years. But this is going to be my biggest challenge.”
“I’m an adventurer – I always have been, whether it’s mountaineering, helicopter flying, or rally car driving. Now I’m retired I’m lucky enough to be able to take on this journey and raise some funds for charities, doing valuable work tied in with The P & M Group’s environmental and social values.
“I’m excited about the trip and we’re well prepared. It’s going to be quite a journey.”
Mr Tysoe will be joined on board for the whole voyage by a fellow retired Leicester businessman Dave Percival. The two have known each other for 35 years and have sailed on many trips before.
Distraction 3 will sail around the coast of northern South America, through the Panama Canal, across the Pacific Ocean, around the north of Australia and though Indonesia, across the Indian Ocean and around the southern tip of Africa.
“There are more people who have climbed Mount Everest than have sailed around the world, and this is going to be up there with the greatest achievements of my life.
In the meantime my people at S Tysoe Installations are in good hands – it was the best thing for the business and the staff to hand it over to another good company with a great reputation.
“The boat has Starlink satellite internet so if anyone’s desperate to get hold of me they’ll be able to find me – or at least they can find the boat!”
“We’re planning to spend some significant time exploring the places we’re visiting, diving and seeing the state of the marine environments across the planet. I’m hoping we can offer the charities we’re fundraising for some really useful insight.”
Tony Wall, managing director of The P & M Group, said: “We’re really excited for Simon and wish him all the best for the next 18 months. What an incredible opportunity for him and something which is richly deserved after a fabulous career in business.”
“Mareco and Project Seagrass are both marine focused charities and reflect our commitment to the environment whilst, from a personal note, Lord’s Taverners helps to give young people life changing opportunities and very much supports our wish to invest in future generations. We are grateful to Simon for his fundraising efforts.”
Corporate sponsors are already on board with the fundraising – committed funds already include £60k from headline sponsors Winvic and Kingspan alongside contributions from Simon Tysoe and The P & M Group itself.
We wish him well on an adventure of a lifetime! Anyone looking to support the charities can contribute here at https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/corporate/the-p-and-m-group/charity-sail-across-the-world