Rutland Sailing Club (RSC) has claimed the Club of the Year 2023 Award at the recent Let's Get Moving awards.

The winners of the Active Rutland Let's Get Moving Sports Awards 2023 have been announced, and were celebrated at a recent ceremony recognising the winners from across the county. 

RSC has bagged the Club of the Year 2023 Award.

This award is for a club that has had considerable success and demonstrated commitment to the development of the members of their club, including participants, coaches, and volunteers.

The club must have engaged well with their local community and have an effective management structure which will sustain the club in the future. It may have widened access to their sport or physical activity to include people who do not normally have the opportunity to take part, engaging people from 'hard to reach' groups. 

The sailing club hosts a range of regular sessions to make sailing more accessible and to reach these groups.

Waether permitting, Sailability hit the water every Thursday. Image credit: Nub News.

Sessions include weekly disabled and blind sailing with Sailability, who recently welcomed a new Fusion gifted by Stamford Rotary, and open events in collaboration with Blind Sailing UK. The team also host youth sailing sessions and ladies that launch groups, as well as multi-national sailing events. One such event is going on at the club this week with the Javelin European Championship.

RSC was nominated by Rebecca Boston 

Rebecca said: "Rutland Sailing Club have been working with the Army Welfare Service to provide an accessible sailing club for all service children 11 years plus across Rutland. They have helped 10 young people successfully qualify on a Royal Yachting Association level 1 course and provided sailing to 45 service young people whilst on a summer residential at the local barracks. 

Thanks for always being upbeat and positive even when there was no wind! For the team of instructors who made every session fun and engaging, challenging the young people to try something new even when they were resistant or scared. For including the parents in the sessions and mostly for doing all of it with smiles on your faces.

"Your flexibility and adaptability are what made the club sessions and residential work so well. Lots of young people have now had the opportunity to try a sport that may have been inaccessible previously."

Congratulations to Active Rutland and the wonderful nominees and winners.