RYA CEO tour in the South West: Connecting, listening and learning

RYA CEO Sara Sutcliffe embarked on a three-day tour of the South West in October, visiting 13 affiliated clubs and centres across the region.

The trip was full of energy and provided a great opportunity to meet instructors, principals, staff, and volunteers – the inspiring people working hard to grow participation and make a real difference in their communities.  

Accompanied by Regional Manager, Rob Howlett, the trip formed part of the RYA’s ongoing work to connect face-to-face with affiliates and training centres across the UK.

The visits offered a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships, hear first-hand about the challenges faced in grassroots sailing and boating, and see how some clubs are successfully diversifying their activities and engage with local communities better – often with great results.

Over the course of the three days, a few key themes emerged. Many clubs spoke about workforce challenges, particularly around recruiting and retaining volunteers and instructors — a concern echoed across our wider network.

Yet, alongside these challenges were inspiring stories of creativity and determination; clubs finding new ways to diversify their offer to connect with their local community better and welcome new participants onto the water.

The importance of swimming and access to local pools also came up with many clubs highlighting how these facilities are often the first step for helping young people build water confidence – which often opens the door to broader participation in watersports.

Sara said: “It was a thoroughly enjoyable visit and incredibly valuable to spend time understanding the different challenges our affiliates and centres are facing as well as seeing many initiatives taking place to drive participation and growth.”

The tour began at Trevassack Lake – Children’s Sailing Trust where Sara met CEO Jackie Jewel, Fran Wallis - Head of Fundraising and Rupert Whelan - Activities Manager.  Sara took to the water in a safety boat powered by an ePropulsion outboard motor. There is also an alternative provision school on site, which gave Sara the opportunity to see some of the great work that the Trust does. They talked about the difficult fundraising climate and the challenges of recruiting seasonal staff in an area that is hard to access by public transport and with high living costs.  

Sara and Rob then went to Stithians Lake – South West Lakes Trust, to meet CEO James Platts. While there, they discussed water quality and access to the South West reservoirs managed by the trust and Sara also had the chance to meet students from Falmouth College, who use the lake three days a week as part of their instructor programme. After all that fresh air, a traditional Cornish pasty was definitely in order (because you can’t visit Cornwall without having one!). 

Innovation and learning on the water

A stop at Premier Marina in Noss on Dart showcased innovation in action. There, Sara met Mike Smith, the new Marina Manager, who shared how the marina is expanding and engaging with boat owners alongside working with the college to offer packages for RYA training alongside their hotel stay — a great example of combining education and enterprise to attract more people to spend time on the water.

Sara and Rob also visited South Devon College Marina Academy where Sara swapped meetings for lifejackets, joining students on the water to practise a man overboard recovery before heading indoors to try out their impressive bridge simulator. It was a hands-on reminder of how practical learning brings skills and confidence to life. 

Celebrating volunteers and the community

A highlight of the trip was lunch with the South West regional volunteer team at Royal Western Yacht Club — a chance to celebrate the dedication and enthusiasm that keep our clubs running. Sara heard inspiring stories of how volunteers are helping grow participation and create inclusive, welcoming spaces for everyone to enjoy time on the water.

At Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, Sara met Tor Froud, Partnership and Inclusion Manager, to learn more about how the UK’s first National Marine Park is connecting local communities with the sea. Tor shared insights into the city’s “Ocean City” plans that champions access to water for all, highlighting how opportunities to sail can have a real social and environmental impact. 

Over the three days, Sara and Rob visited:

• Trevassack Lake Children’s Sailing Trust
• Stithians Lake (SW Lakes Trust)
• Mylor Sailing School
• Restronguet Sailing Club
• Flushing Sailing Club
• Royal Cornwall Yacht Club
• Horizons
• RVT Royal Western Yacht Club
• Plymouth Youth Sailing
• Mount Batten Activity Centre
• Royal Dart Yacht Club
• South Devon College
• Paignton Sailing Club

Reflecting on the trip, Sara said “Visiting clubs and centres and meeting members of our network face-to-face is always a highlight. Seeing the set-ups first-hand brings valuable context to the challenges our clubs face, and helps us understand how to provide the right support to grow participation and help keep people coming back to spend more time on the water. 

“Each stop added a new perspective, and together they painted a picture of a thriving, passionate community determined to make watersports accessible to all.

“A huge thank you to Rob for his regional expertise and to all of the clubs and centres who gave up their time to welcome us and show us around.”