It was a momentous AGM during which the Club gained a new Admiral and concluded with a prizegiving when Derek Corless presented the Dwilla Mortimore Memorial Trust Award for the first time.

A large crowd gathered, perhaps aware that this would be an AGM with a difference.  Some were a little jaded after the excellent Crystal Ball the night before.  Peter Marchant paid tribute to Suzanne Glenton and the members of House who had turned the Dining Room into glittering mix of sparkling crystal beads on silver twigs, and high layers of lit candles. The meal was excellent and the band got us all up dancing. The downfall of some was Tony’s late night cocktails.

The business of the AGM had been contained in the Report – some events had to be cancelled due to weather but Burnham Week was ‘brilliant’.  There was good news for the future – the creation of an RYA Training Centre with a new Sailing Manager/Chief Instructor, Raymond Chu, who will arrive in April for the summer season.  The reduction in subscriptions for younger members last year has attracted new members and next year there will be a reduction in subs for all with the rate going down to under £400/year for full members.

There were cheers when our new Admiral was announced.  He is former Commodore, leader of Team Phoebe (our committee boat for events), club representative on many outside bodies and Mr. Endeavour – Edwin Buckley. Derek Corless led the cheers and the Admiral’s flag was hoisted and flying proudly from the top of the mast by lunchtime.

Derek then went on to award, for the first time, the Dwilla (Drusilla) Memorial Trust Award to recognise the person who has ‘endeavoured the most to help the Club’.  Derek said we all know how hard we have to work to be good at sailing with the ‘best of the best’ being awarded the Endeavour Trophy.  Behind the sailing there are all those people who work hard to keep the Club and its organisation maintaining the same high standard.   There was a healthy stack of entries and the clear winner was Mary Makey who quietly keeps the events – sailing and house – running smoothly and is ‘the knowledge’ on everything.  Two weeks ago she collected the RYA Community Award for lifetime commitment for all her work at the RCYC, youth sailing and the sport in general.  But this award ‘at home’, to warm applause, was obviously much appreciated by Mary.  The award itself is an engraved silver clipboard on a silver easel which will live in the Club. The keepsake for the award will be a 50mm disc impressed on one side with the Club laurel wreath and crown (Derek has given the die for this to the Club so there could be other uses for it) and the winner’s particulars will be engraved on the reverse each year.  Derek has endowed the award for the future. For this, first time, he personally gave a second award to all the Staff who, while we are enjoying ourselves, take care of us.  Tony led his team to the front.  Hardly a dry eye in the house!  Then, as always, many enjoyed a magnificent carvery.

Anne Heasley