Two volunteers at Bala Sailing Club have been awarded RYA Cymru Wales Impact Awards in recognition of their dedication to inspiring the next generation.
The awards are made by the sport’s governing body in Wales to recognise the hard work of individuals and organisations who go above and beyond to support activities afloat.
Paul Welsh and Mick Fleming were nominated by Bala Sailing Club for their vital contribution to the training team as volunteer instructors and in particular for giving their time to run sessions for school children and youth and junior members.
They are both RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Senior Instructors and over the last six years have forged links with Ysgol Godre’r Berwyn in Bala and the local community, making sailing more accessible and encouraging families to make the most of the club on their doorstep.
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Initially running after-school sessions, Paul and Mick have also supported home-schooling pupils, children with complex needs and young people in foster care to enjoy sailing and the benefits of getting on the water.
The club now has a Youth Squad for the first time in a decade and next season will run Saturday sessions.
Paul, a retired police officer and said: “It’s been great to be able to engage with the school and with local people because the club is now very much a part of the community and it’s just a great place to be.
“I enjoy getting young people to do outdoor sports. Sometimes they go through life not academically brilliant and feeling like they are not very good at anything, then we get them out in a boat learning how to sail, and they realise there is something they can do and they’re just all smiles.”
Mick first started sailing aged 10 after helping his Dad to build a Mirror dinghy.
Now the club’s Youth Coordinator, he said: “I’ve always worked with young people through apprenticeships and with schools to get them engaged in STEM subjects and engineering, and what we find is that with anything active and hands-on like sailing, you’re also developing life skills like communication and teamwork.”
Nominating the duo, Bala SC’s Training Principal Mark Jones said they had given countless hours over the years running sessions for children and developing new links with young people and families: “This has resulted in membership growth and the club having more local members than it ever has done.”