Blind Sailing Online Awards 2020, Hosted By Nic Douglas.

Thank you to all that attended our awards Evening 2020 and thank you for your amazing support through a challenging year. Special thanks to our host and friend Nic Douglas, Adventures of a Sailor Girl and our guest speakers,

Ian Walker – RYA Director of Racing

Joff McGill – RYA Sailability Manager

Vernon Parks – Commodore of South Cerney Sailing Club.

Congratulations To All Award Winners 2020.

Ian Cormack Cup

Winner Chris Albert

Chris has not sported this year along with many others, his passion to keep the charity going was endless. He has supported on arranging events and not just arranging them but supporting with IT issues putting software on to people’s PC so he can remote in and help. Chris has played a key part in our work with RYA Sailaibility ‘More than sailing project’ this last month Chris put in 15 hours during the evening to support.

Runner ups

Sally Rodrigues

Sally, has supported the charity get our new courses off the ground, shared her story and that of Blind Sailing. Sally has worked hard to spread the word and get new VI’s involved through her passion and commitment for the sport, Sally has given up weekends and evening to see these courses succeed and it is thanks to Sally we have so many new sailors with us. All this and she became a first-time mum in August.

Kate Healey

She does not know how much she has to give, but we have watch her grow to become an ambassador of Blind Sailing, Kate has also helped get our new courses off the ground sharing her story. Kate volunteered to run our blogs working to gain the story from the sailors to share on the wide web. It has been amazing watching Kate grow.

Helen Walsh Trophy

Awarded to Jonny Stevenson

I cannot say thank you enough his commitment to the charity working daily with Lucy to support how we communicate to the sailors. Then working on Policy’s to get us back on the water with South Cerney. He has been an ear to Lucy in times that have been hard to ensure our charity that provides a safe place for people to sail is still just that both online and on the water. Jonny was key to us changing overnight, then ensuring the changes to new ways of sailing worked. Thanks to Jonny we did it. He also was key in our sponsorship deals with Rooster and South Cerney seeing them successfully launched.

He has worked day and night.

Runner Up Malcolm James

Malcom is some would say with a smile Jonny Stevenson right hand man!!!! But, no Malcolm has supported the charity from the kitchen duties to boson duties. Mind you the boson duties I was not sure who was in charge when the toe straps broke and sore him tumbling backward with a smile. No, he is a can-do man around the club and really helped bring our new sailors on with confidence

Charley Findlay Youth Award

Winner - Hazel Whittle

Hazel has travelled and become part of the Blind Sailing family. Hazel has took to guiding supporting Kate and Lucy of an evening she may is always there to help. But in her sailing, she has shown confidence to teach any level of sailor and then allow them to helm with a Kite and race alongside sighted sailors, she may be quiet but gives so much. When she heard about our 2.6 challenge she got together with friends and raised funds which has seen us support sailors back on the water in 2020.

Runner Up Fran Neal

Fran is too part of the Blind Sailing family supporting the girls and coaching. Fran took out one of our new sailors John and had him healing in the first half hour, giving him confidence and great coaching. Fran is also part of South Cerney and works hard to ensure we have the right kit for the club boats.

Wooden Spoon

Martin Phillips

Well, there is so much we can say and it’s not the first time he has wone this award, last time he wone it for riding his suit case down an moving escalator, well that’s what we believe. This time he wins it for turning a dry suit into a baggy jumper, when planning weekends and doing risk assessments you never think that someone will cut the neck of their dry suit so its comfy! Well Mr Philips did!

We would also like to thank all our Sponsors in 2020.

Rooster and they are our sponsors in 2021

South Cerney Sailing Club our sponsors in 2021

Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club

Professor Gary Shuckford

Chris Watts

Steve Farmer Murcury Power

All those in the 2.6 Challenge

Cirenster CrossFit

And all those that use JustGiving for challenges and our Amazon Smile. Also thank you to all those that want to remain anemones.

The Charity Went Online in 2020.

We would also like to thank all our zoom guests who this year would not have been such a success,