Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club 2015 Prize Giving
by Richard Catchpole 24 Nov 2015 14:29 GMT
21 November 2015
Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club 2015 Prize Giving © Richard Catchpole
Harry Budd & Roger Taylor remembered
The LLSC prize giving was no ordinary affair this year with two new trophies on display commemorating two of the founders of the combined Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club.
Harry Budd and Roger Taylor were the main driving forces behind the merger of the separate clubs of Leigh Sailing Club and Lowton Sailing Club. It seems unbelievable now that these two clubs shared the same stretch of water with their clubhouses only a couple of hundred yards apart (with Manchester University playing piggy-in-the-middle between them!).
During the prize giving Mike Budd kindly took newer members of the club through some of the history of the formation of the club before presenting the Harry Budd Memorial Trophy. Unfortunately its first winner, Andy Couch, was absent due to competing, and winning, the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash. Andy had earlier passed his apologies for his absence but stated he was delighted and honoured to be the first winner of the trophy. Harry was an inspiration to all sailors in an array of different classes and went on in later years to run our famous winter series for many years as OOD.
Roger sailed Merlins, RS400s and many other boats besides and will be fondly remembered for his parts in the Xmas pantos and for starting the kids sailing at the club all those years ago before RYA squads. The club now, with their plethora of juniors and youths competing at the highest levels have a lot to thank him for.
Both were Commodores of the club in their time and put an immense amount of effort into creating strong foundations of the club we are proud to be members of today.