South Staffs Sailing Club shortlisted for RYA Club of the Year

 

South Staffordshire Sailing Club is on tenterhooks after learning it has been shortlisted for the prestigious RYA Club of the Year Award.

 

The award recognises clubs who excel at promoting the sport of sailing, encouraging people on to the water and making their activities varied and accessible to the community, and the winners will be announced at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show in London on Saturday 5 March.

 

A team from South Staffs SC will join representatives from four other nominated clubs at the show at Alexandra Palace, where they will discover who will be honoured as Britain’s top sailing club for this year.

 

Already one of the country’s most established sailing clubs and an RYA Club of the Year finalist in 2008, South Staffs SC has made great strides in creating even more opportunities for local people to get involved in sailing over the past 12 months.

 

As a recognised RYA Training Centre, the club has invested in training no fewer than 43 instructors and coaches so even more people, adults and children, can learn to sail or go racing at the club while almost 100 people attended the club’s Open Day last summer.

 

South Staff SC is proud of its unique links with the local community, in particular its partnership with Westcroft Special School, which uses the club for more than 2,000 pupil visits each year, the 9th Stafford Sea Scouts plus a number of other Guide, Rotary and Round Table organisations around Wolverhampton and Staffordshire.

 

Having joined RYA OnBoard, the RYA’s nationwide grassroots sailing and windsurfing scheme, in 2010, the club is set to develop even more links with many local primary and secondary schools and youth groups.

 

Meanwhile, through its position as a Volvo RYA Champion Club, South Staffs SC frequently feeds talented young sailors into the RYA’s World Class racing programme. One of their young talents, Sarah Norbury, was named RYA Regional Young Sailor of the Year after winning the British Ladies Optimist Championship title in August and representing RYA Team GBR at the Optimist Europeans in Poland in July, where she finished top British girl.

 

South Staffs SC’s reigning British Ladies Optimist champion Sarah Norbury in action.
Credit Paul Wyeth/ www.pwpictures.com.

South Staffs boasts around 400 members, aged between six and 95, with the club’s junior novice and improver training sessions, which attracts some 40 youngsters on Sunday mornings, amongst its biggest successes.

 

Neil Hawkins, South Staffs SC Vice Commodore, said: “People know when they come to South Staffs SC they will be given a really warm welcome and enjoy our activities in a safe environment, whether they’re beginners or experienced sailors. Our membership is totally non-elitist, keeping our membership and training course fees at a very competitive level to encourage involvement.

 

“We’re a close-knit group and everyone appreciates the value of working hard for the long-term good of the club and its future generations of members. The hive of activity at the club is inspiring to visitors who call in on a weekly basis and to our annual open days.”

 

Gareth Brookes, RYA Regional Development Officer for the Midlands, said: “South Staffs SC is a very friendly, accommodating and successful sailing club in terms of membership, active sailors and junior squad sailors and they are continually trying to better themselves.”

 

Jackie Bennetts, RYA Volunteer Development Officer and awards co-ordinator, said: “The Club of the Year Awards highlight all the good work clubs and their members put into keeping our sport alive. All the finalists are excellent, well-run, vibrant and forward-looking clubs who really excel at what they set out to do.” 

 

This year’s five finalists are:

• Glossop Sailing Club, Torside Reservoir, Glossop, Derbyshire
• Hollowell Sailing Club, Hollowell Reservoir, Hollowell. Northamptonshire
• The Sailing and Cruising Association – National with monthly meetings in London and Ipswich
• South Staffordshire Sailing Club, Gailey Lower Pool, Nr. Penkridge, Stafford
• Spinnaker Club, Blashford Lake, Blashford, Ringwood  

The RYA Volvo Dinghy Show 2011 is held in association with Yachts and Yachting and Suzuki.  

To find out more about the show and to book your tickets visit www.dinghyshow.org.uk or call the ticket hotline on 0844 811 0409.

 

To find out more about South Staffordshire Sailing Club please visit - http://www.southstaffssailingclub.co.uk/

 

Karenza Morton
RYA West Midlands Regional Communicator
T: 07837 707630
E: press@tenpointstick.co.uk
W: www.rya.org.uk