Isle Of Wight Volunteer Sailors Scoop Prestigious Accolade For 'Dedication'

Two Isle of Wight sailors, who are volunteers, have been awarded prestigious national RYA (Royal Yachting Association) awards in recognition of their exceptional 'dedication to boating'.

Michael Smith from Sea View Yacht Club and Polly Schafer from Brading Haven Yacht Club - have been awarded the prestigious national accolade.

The sailors are among 44 ‘unsung heroes’ from across the country celebrated in the RYA Volunteer Awards 2020, which are held annually to say ‘thank you’ to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the sport.

Michael Smith, from Sea View Yacht Club on the Isle of Wight, has been recognised with an RYA Outstanding Contribution Award.

During Michael’s volunteer role as Commodore at Sea View Yacht Club (from 2015 to 2018), he introduced a major initiative to provide free sailing lessons to Year 5 schoolchildren from state primary schools on the Isle of Wight. Beginning with just two schools in the first year, he pursued his vision with vigour and commitment and has grown to a planned seven schools in 2021 which should provide 1680 pupil sessions of three hours each. Most of these schoolchildren had never been on the water before but RYA Level 1 or 2 sailing was achieved by the vast majority and their growth in confidence was undeniable.

Michael Smith

In nominating Michael for an RYA Outstanding Contribution Award, Sea View Yacht Club said:

“Michael’s programme has received much praise from teachers who recognise that the children learn a great deal about communication and working in teams and groups - the benefits of which can be seen in the classroom.

“Michael continues to work with vision, energy and determination to further expand the concept to other schools and clubs on the Isle of Wight. He has been instrumental in establishing the Sail Away Foundation and funding it, with donations from Ineos, several London based Livery Companies and IoW-based businesses.”

On his award, Michael remarked:

“I was honoured and it was a privilege to receive the award and while I acknowledge that the vision was all mine, it is also important to acknowledge all those who have worked tirelessly at the club to deliver it.

“This has been a great opportunity for a club like Sea View Yacht Club to offer something back to the community of which it is a part (our members are mainly down from London). While the programme is now huge for a club of our size it shows what can be achieved by everyone pulling together, including the generous donations and sponsorship from all who support us. 

“Interestingly, while I thought at the outset that it was just about teaching children to sail, the programme has been applauded by head teachers, teachers, and parents as providing much much more - including opportunities that the kids would not otherwise of had; operating outside their comfort zone; team building; and a marked improvement in the year group’s classroom behaviour. A win win for everyone!”

Polly Schafer

Polly Schafer, Brading Haven Yacht Club, Isle Of Wight, has been an instrumental volunteer at the club from the day she joined in 2013, and has been recognised with an Outstanding Contribution Award.

In nominating Polly for the Award, Brading Haven Yacht Club said:

“An innovator, an ambassador and a force to be reckoned with, Polly focuses on inclusivity and value, regularly challenging the Management Committee to ensure that the club meets the needs of members and provides value for money.”

Polly launched ‘Ladies that Launch’ - a thriving group which she continues to co-ordinate and organise. Through the initiative members regularly sail, socialise and develop firm friendships for life. By encouraging female beginners and improvers, the group is also attracting new members to the club.

Having also picked up the lead for the Cadets section, Polly and a small team of volunteers provide the club’s youth sailors with monthly onshore activities throughout the year. Brading Haven Yacht Club added:

“Cadet evenings with Polly are so much fun that the adults regularly join in! She is also an integral part of the Training Team, has been instrumental in driving forward the club’s development plan and keeps members informed through the club’s newsletter and social media.”

Of her award, Polly said:

“I would like to thank the RYA, it is a community award, and at Brading Haven Yacht Club we are very much a volunteer club, but I couldn’t do any of this without the support of the volunteers here at the club. 

“The two programmes that the club runs, Ladies that Lunch was set up on the back of two ladies learning to sail, and since then it has flourished. The ladies go out regularly, and with covid-19 this year we have still been able to get out on the water and have fun on paddleboards and in kayaks instead of in boats. The cadet programme involves after school sailing which has been very successful in getting people from the local community to join in. For the cadets, we also have an Open Winter programme which we open up to all the clubs across the island to sail. So lots of action at Brading Haven Yacht Club.”

Sarah Treseder, RYA Chief Executive said:

“This year more than ever before we have seen our club volunteers come together and work tirelessly to ensure members can continue to sail. The generosity and dedication of each of the RYA Volunteer Award recipients is simply outstanding and it’s a pleasure to be able to recognise these winners through this award”.

There is usually a glittering awards ceremony in London but this year, due to the ongoing pandemic, the awards have been presented to volunteers at their local sailing clubs or during online gatherings from the safety of the home.

Read all about each winner or find more information about the RYA Volunteer Awards.