Winners of 2009 West Midlands RYA OnBoard awards unveiled

22 February 2010
By Karenza Morton, RYA 25 Feb 2010 16:39

Read article

Photo gallery

Discuss

Email to a friend

Printer friendly

Send us an event report

Photo © RYA

Becky Thomas receives her 2009 West Midlands RYA OnBoard Volunteer of the Year Award from Tom Davenport, OnBoard Development Officer for Birmingham and Worcestershire
Photo © RYA

Howard Eeles and his team of instructors from Bartley SC receive their 2009 West Midlands RYA OnBoard Club of the Year Award from Tom Davenport, OnBoard Development Officer for Birmingham and Worcestershire

A young sailing instructor from Bromsgrove and Birmingham Outdoor Education Centre (BOEC) are celebrating after receiving top RYA awards for their commitment to introducing young people in the West Midlands to sailing and windsurfing.

Becky Thomas, 19, was named the West Midlands RYA OnBoard Volunteer of the Year while BOEC picked up the Club of the Year accolade at the region’s 2009 RYA OnBoard Awards held at Upton Warren Outdoor Education Centre, Bromsgrove on Monday (22 February).

Becky has been heavily involved with the Worcestershire Schools’ Sailing and Canoeing Association (WSSCA), based at Upton Warren OEC, since she started sailing and over the past year she has given up her evenings and weekends to run Upton Warren’s Junior Gybers sailing club, which takes talented WSSCA sailors and provides them with more advance coaching.

Meanwhile BOEC, under the guidance of Howard Eeles and his team of instructors from Bartley Sailing Club, have led the way in providing young people in Birmingham with the opportunity to sail regularly at a heavily reduced cost. In two years their K20 club has accrued a membership of more than 50 youngsters, many of whom come from inner city Birmingham, with a waiting list of young people eager to join.

OnBoard is the RYA’s nationwide grassroots initiative to introduce more young people to sailing and windsurfing and encourage them to stay in the sport.

Between April and August last year, more than 1,500 children enjoyed their first experience of sailing and windsurfing through OnBoard in the West Midlands, while no fewer than 3,700 have been introduced to the sport since the programme began in the region with almost 550 of those children now participating regularly.

Tom Davenport, OnBoard Development Officer for Birmingham and Worcestershire, said: “Volunteers provide the foundation to the OnBoard programme and if it wasn’t for their time, dedication and commitment fewer youngsters would be able to get out on the water for the first time and experience what sailing and windsurfing can offer.

“Some 38 schools and seven youth clubs since April last year have been able to take advantage of these sessions and we are always looking to encourage more and more schools and clubs to get involved.”

The other nominees for the Volunteer of the Year Award were Nigel Cartwright for his work with Upton Warren’s Team15 grassroots windsurfing club, Tom Phillips for his commitment to OnBoard at Youth Afloat in Redditch, Libby Constance for her role in evolving youth sailing at Chase SC in Walsall and Dorian Roe for his dedication to building up OnBoard at Bartley Sailing Club.

Supported by TEAMORIGIN, Britain’s Challenge for the America’s Cup, OnBoard is working to introduce half a million children into sailing and windsurfing over 10 years and since the programme began in 2005 more than 10,000 youngsters have become regular participants whether enjoying the sport as a relaxed leisure activity or a high performance sport. There are now 177 OnBoard clubs nationwide.

For more information on OnBoard in the West Midlands contact Tom Davenport at or visit www.ruob.co.uk

Related Articles:

 OnBoard Festival at Sutton Bingham Sailing Club - 03 Sep 2010
Despite gusty wind conditions, 66 youngsters enjoyed a fun yet competitive day on the water without too many capsizes at Sutton Bingham Sailing Club when they competed in the annual OnBoard Festival on 28th August.

 Lincolnshire schools embrace sailing - 10 Aug 2010
Three Lincolnshire schools specialising in emotional and behavioural difficulties are the latest to use sailing to help their students’ social and learning development through RYA OnBoard at the Lincoln and District Sailing Association.

 Winning sail designs launched at Queen Mary OnBoard festival - 14 Jul 2010
Two lucky OnBoarders’ Kane Lincoln and Becky Knipe, saw their very own sail designs take to the water when they were chosen from the 400 entries as the winners of the LaserPerformance Pico Mainsail Design Competition.

 OnBoard Bug Day at Burwain Sailing Club - 14 Jul 2010
60 children from clubs all over the region came to enjoy a festival of sailing at Burwain Sailing Club, Colne, on Sunday 11th July.