RYA Scotland Impact Awards announced
by RYA Scotland 1 Jun 2023 09:22 PDT
During Volunteer's Week RYA Scotland would like to announce some of the recipients of the new Impact Awards.
RYA Scotland invited nominations in March of who in our communities think deserves recognition for going above and beyond in supporting activities afloat over the past year.
With people are at the very core of boating we managed to get some fantastic nominations in about the differences being made by volunteers and instructing staff across the boating community. We then went out to meet those people under a revised Impact Award format, to find out a little more about them and the people, places and communities they impact.
Hugh Mclean has had many voluntary roles at the Clyde Cruising Club's Dinghy Section over the years. However since retiring he gives his time as the bosun, maintaining the club's fleet and facilities. He brings together a group of volunteers dubbed, 'The Monday Club', who meet each Monday morning to work through the list of tasks required to enable activity at the club.
Hugh gives of his time unstintingly despite health problems keeping all 85 of their dinghy's ready and safe for use. While the group maintain the boat and grounds, they also find time to go for a wee sail every now and then, both on the loch and further afield.
Hugh is a senior instructor and a powerboat instructor, running courses for various groups who come and use Bardowie Loch, from schools and universities, making significant impact on the operation of the club and the volunteers.
Hugh McLean notes, "There are other folk in the club who probably done as much as I've done and never really been recognised. So it is quite humbling to be nominated by folk who are standing shoulder to shoulder with you."
"Some people look at sailing as being quite an elitist sport. But get involved in it, and you'll find it's not. We take kids from all sorts of backgrounds. My ambition for the club is for it to continue to grow, to continue to make an impact in the lives of whoever comes to sail."
Geoff Crowley, CCC Commodore added.
"Hugh is the lynchpin of the Monday Club. He's the axle of the whole thing, it revolves around him. Every club needs a Hugh."
Bob Palmer, a volunteer for the Monday Club said.
"From all social points of view, having something on a Monday is good, particularly over the winter where men particularly tend not to socialise. So socialising over the winter on a Monday morning, I think it's great. A lot of people like it from that point of view. It's a Monday, the start of the week and gives you a reason to jump out of bed and gives your week a kind of of definition"
The RYA Scotland Impact Awards aim to recognise the value of those people over the coming season with a series of awards throughout the boating community in Scotland.
RYA Scotland is supporting Volunteers Week and launched the Volunteer Development Framework for organisations last June. The framework helps review and strengthen practices with regards to volunteering and in doing so create a sustainable volunteer culture for the future.
Full video of Hugh McLean and the Monday Club: