Winners of the 2011 Birmingham RYA OnBoard Awards unveiled 

Birmingham RYA OnBoard Awards

A volunteer sailing instructor from Selly Oak and Edgbaston Watersports are celebrating after receiving top regional Royal Yachting Association (RYA) awards for their commitment to introducing young people in Birmingham to sailing.

John Ridley was named Birmingham RYA OnBoard Volunteer of the Year while Edgbaston Watersports picked up Club of the Year at the region’s 2011 RYA OnBoard Awards, held at Sutton Sailing Club last week.

John, a part-time lecturer at Sandwell College, spends four hours every Saturday morning teaching youngsters how to sail as part of Birmingham Outdoor Education Centre’s K2O club at Bartley SC during the summer and autumn school terms.

This year some 20 youngsters have benefitted regularly from his enthusiasm and expertise. It was his dedicated nippers, some of whom travel an hour there and back to be taught by John, who got him the nod.  

“John is good because mainly he lets us have fun even though we are learning.” explains young sailor Alex Brasher.

Fellow group member Scott Eeles added: “John is passing on his knowledge. He has a good sense of humour and makes it a good group to be in. I have learned loads and he really built up my confidence.”

John, who has been a member at Bartley SC for over 10 years and helping the youngsters for four, said: “I enjoy teaching children to sail for I truly believe that besides enabling them to become excellent sailors, it is also character building, which will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives.”

Meanwhile, RYA OnBoard Club of the Year, Edgbaston Watersports, is leading the way in giving Birmingham youngsters the chance to really embrace sailing and windsurfing. Edgbaston has been running OnBoard sessions for two years and works with over a 1,000 youngsters from 30 junior, secondary and special schools from across the city.

Ten volunteer instructors are involved in delivering this activity. Last month, Edgbaston Hawks were crowned ‘RYA OnBoard Champions of Birmingham’ as youngsters from four West Midlands OnBoard clubs, many of whom only learned to sail through OnBoard this year, enjoyed a fun end-of-season sailing festival.

Ben Julian, Junior Academy coach at Edgbaston Watersports, said: “Being in the middle of Birmingham city centre, it’s very rare for young people to experience sports like sailing and windsurfing. OnBoard helps give the opportunity for young people to get out on the water, meet new people and have loads of fun!

The festivals at the end of each season bring all the OnBoard clubs together to really show what the young people have learnt over the year. It’s a great sense of achievement for them, also great pride for the instructors and volunteers.”

OnBoard is the RYA’s successful nationwide grassroots initiative providing low cost sailing and windsurfing opportunities for local school and youth groups.

Through OnBoard, the kids’ families are also introduced to the sport and given the chance to get involved. More than 740 youngsters in Birmingham and Worcestershire have enjoyed their first taste of sailing through the counties’ five OnBoard clubs this year, with almost 6,000 Birmingham and Worcestershire kids in total introduced to the sport since OnBoard was launched in the region in 2006.

Some 10 per cent of these youngsters have since become regular sailors. Tom Davenport, RYA OnBoard Development Officer for the Birmingham Partnership, said: “Volunteers are the foundation of RYA OnBoard 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.”

For more information on RYA OnBoard in Birmingham contact Tom Davenport at tom.davenport@rya.org.uk or visit www.ruob.co.uk