The Club was celebrating THREE great volunteering Awards on Saturday through the RYA Impact Award scheme, two were as a result of the WoWs (Woman on Water)  initiative at the Club that only started in June of this year.

The 1st Impact Award was presented to Emma Kimber at the WoW’s celebratory wine tasting and supper evening on Saturday (Women on Wine…?!!).  Emma, as a new Club member with her husband Steve joined as parents because her son was sailing, casually asked how she could get on the water at the start of the season. An idea came to fruition, and the WoWs was created. The Club sorted the boats, and the helms/teachers and Emma created the interest with first conversations and then the obligatory WhatsApp group; the interest just took off.

Emma’s enthusiasm and energy, the all-important meeter and greeter on the Friday mornings so everyone felt welcome (Sports Clubs as are many Clubs to visitors possibly intimidating spaces, Emma was keen to break that perceived glass wall instantly).  The activity around the Club, with more Club members now knowing more members, has just brought as aspect of the Club, that wasn’t there, alive.  All this has happened because one person asked, ‘how do I get on the water?’ and then put her hand up to make it happen in combination with the Club.

The 2nd Award came as a total surprise to the winner.  In the nomination for Emma as a IMPACT volunteer there was an added piece of a junior sailor helping out, even skippering one of the WoW boats for one of the sessions.  It was noted that she was always on hand and willing to help at the Club’s Open Days and was the beach Tally at the recent Dinghy Endeavour.  The RYA panel loved this extra aspect, and Florence (Flo) Fisher at just 15 years old is now an Impact Award winner too, for her willingness to get involved and help others, quite some achievement.   Florence was super delighted to receive the Award, with the Club and all the WoW team proud too.

The 3rd RYA Impact Award

Whilst the WoWs has been driven by so many with Emma the champion each week, the person who took an idea and created the environment to bring it to fruition was the RC Sailing at the Club, Justin Waples.  This however is only the latest piece in a volunteering career which has spanned 21 years to date.  As a parent in the Otters, teaching sailing, helping the children, to then chairman of the Otter Management Committee to trainer and infectious fun maker, to Discover Sailing co-ordinator and RC Sailing.  The RYA agreed and it was therefore with great pleasure that the Commodore was able to present the third award in this category at the General Committee meeting in the morning and enable this to be a surprise for someone who has a general passion for sharing the joy of sailing with people of all ages and abilities.  He takes delight in bringing people together, inspiring confidence in an inclusive atmosphere both on and off the water.