Vote for your sailing club as Club of the Year 2019 before its too late

Delly Quay Sailing Club is located at the heart of Chichester Harbour

Supporters have until Monday, January 28 to vote for Dell Quay Sailing Club which is a Southern finalist in the Royal Yaching Assocation (RYA)’s Yachts and Yachting Club of the Year Award 2019.

The club has already achieved recognition by this year’s judges in the shape of a special award for ‘innovative and forward thinking.’

Members of the club hope public support and votes will see it officially become this year’s ‘Club of the Year’ award.

The annual award is given by the RYA and sailing magazine Yachts and Yachting to recognise the outstanding achievement of sailing clubs across the UK. It also promotes the hard work which goes into making a sailing club unique and successful.

In operation for a total of 93 years, Dell Quay Sailing Club is run by members, all of whom are volunteers - including the instructors.

Over the last few years, members have implemented a strategy for change, diversifying the club’s offer from racing as well as engaging volunteers through a ‘Spreading the Load’ campaign’.

The campaign has resulted in members taking responsibility for a range of tasks, such as ‘environmental tsar’, new buildings and grounds maintenance, in so doing boosting the club’s ethic of supporting its local community.

Given the current focus on the environment and plastics in sea water, Dell Quay Sailing Club is also working closely with local partners such as the Chichester Harbour Conservancy Education Centre on a number of initiatives.

Commodore Sue Nash said: “Their efforts have paid off and the club has flourished with an increasing membership, a supportive volunteer community and increased participation opportunities on the water.”

Sailing now includes ‘Fun Fridays’, dinghy cruises, Victoria model boat racing, ‘Women on the water’ and ‘Blokes on boats’, alongside racing and cruiser rallies.

One member said: “Having grandchildren included in family membership means they have the opportunity to learn an activity that sometimes their parents are unable to provide.

“The club benefits from the progression of members who have a loyalty to the club and therefore are willing to invest in the running of activities and social events.”

To find out more about the club, see www.dellquaysc.co.uk.

To vote in this year’s awards, see http://awards.yachtsandyachting.co.uk/dell-quay-sailing-club/.