Redesmere Sailing Club announced as RYA Club of the Year

Redesmere Sailing Club crowned RYA Club of the Year © Paul Wyeth / www.pwpictures.com

Redesmere Sailing Club have been announced as RYA Club of the Year 2016 at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show on Saturday.

The Cheshire-based club were selected as winners by the RYA Honours and Awards Panel ahead of four other finalists including Llyn Brenig Sailing Club, Rudyard Lake Sailing Club, Brading Haven Yacht Club and Royal Harwich Yacht Club.

In 2013, Redesmere Sailing Club faced a period of uncertainty over their future, but following extensive consultation with the membership, a 10 year strategic development plan was agreed.

Since initiating the plan, the club has taken major steps to enhance on-the-water and social participation, member involvement in club operations, training provision, alongside improving club facilities and infrastructure, all with a view to further increasing club membership.

Refurbishing and extending the clubhouse, developing extended launching and berthing areas, improving the facilities for less able bodied sailors and making the site more family friendly, means that members of all ages and abilities feel there is something for them

Tim Lowe, from Redesmere Sailing Club, said: "This award is testament to the hard work carried out by the whole club over the past few years. The focus of the club is now on the future, and we really hope to continue our fantastic recent progress."

Regional Development Manager for the North West Adam McGovern said: "I'm really happy for the club. They're a well organised club, they're involved in a lot of different projects, they're a really inclusive club and they do a lot for both juniors and adults.

"We've worked closely with them to help them establish their sailing programmes, and they've proved to be a very self-sufficient club. They now have great infrastructures in place and sustainable models that will ensure the club thrives for a long time."

Special thanks go to Arthur J. Gallagher who support the RYA Club of the Year Award and to Sailing Awards who donated the perpetual RYA Club of the Year trophy when the award was first introduced in 2008.

Tickets to the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show are still available. Visit www.dinghyshow.org.uk for more information.

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