Four Welsh winners at the 2015 RYA Awards

There are four Welsh winners at the 2015 RYA Awards including recognising a family affair, plus rewards for developing the internationally renowned National Sailing Academy in Pwllheli and lifetime commitments.

The RYA Family Award winners, alias the Smith and Jones family in Bala, are Philip and Carole Smith supported by their son Christopher, his wife Laurel, their daughter Helen and her husband Mark Jones.

Pwllheli's Stephen Tudor will receive the Sailing Club RYA Community Award - Lifetime Commitment. He has been the driving force behind the ambitious development of the Welsh National Sailing Academy in Pwllheli, playing a key role in seeing the long-term project come to fruition.

David Sheppard, from the Vale of Glamorgan, will receive the RYA Award 2015 – Cymru Wales. For over ten years, David served RYA Cymru Wales in many roles, including Director and Honorary Treasurer, ensuring association's finances were properly managed, allowing the organisation to prosper and grow during his time on the Board.

Gwyn Phillips, of Neyland Yacht Club, will receive the RYA Community Award – Outstanding Contribution. Over many years, Gwyn has helped support and develop a wide range of activities at Neyland Yacht Club (NYC), having also served on the main committee and many sub-committees in a variety of roles.

RYA Sport Development Manager Duncan Truswell explains: "The RYA Volunteer Awards are all about celebrating the commitment of the countless volunteers who do fantastic work to support boating in all its forms. These people are the lifeblood of our sport; they keep our sailing clubs, events and our organisations thriving and make it possible for others to get out on the water."

The RYA Family Award, introduced for the first time in 2012, is awarded to a family group deserving of recognition for the impact they have made both as individuals and collectively.

The Smith family are rewarded for their commitment, dedication and efforts to support Bala Sailing Club over the past twenty years.

The club achieving and maintaining OnBoard and Champion Club status, has been largely due to their efforts.

Stephen Tudor receives the Lifetime Commitment Award in the year the National Academy has been officially opened in Pwllheli, underlining the North Wales venue's role as one of the world's top hosts of international sailing events.

Stephen has dedicated a vast amount of volunteer time to the development and promotion of sailing in Cardigan Bay. For more than 40 years, he has helped inspire the success of Pwllheli Sailing Club as a leading venue for major national and international racing events.

David Shepherd served RYA Cymru Wales in many roles, including director and honourary treasurer. ~He has also been a member of the RYA Race Management Committee and Editor of the Race Management Newsletter.

As RYA Race Management Coordinator for South Wales for more than a decade, he organised and ran race management courses and assisted in running the annual regional race management seminars, covering the South West, Wales and the West Midlands.

During his ten years as a National Race Officer, David covered more than 14 National Championships and four World Championships.

Gwyn Phillips has given up many hours to man and operate the starting deck for all of the Neyland club's dinghy and cruiser racing events.

Despite battling ill health over the past few years, Gwyn's tireless effort and unstinting contribution have helped NYC become a thriving centre for boating in Wales.

For more information about the RYA Volunteer Awards visit www.rya.org.uk/go/RYAVolunteerAwards