The Queen's Award for

Voluntary Service

Rutland Volunteers Recognised

by The Queen with Prestigious Award

 Rutland Sailability at Rutland Sailing Club, Edith Weston, has been announced as one of 103 UK volunteering groups to win this year’s The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the MBE for volunteer groups.

The prestigious National Honour recognises outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others.  It sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded being judged of the highest standard.

Rutland Sailability has received the Award for enabling people with disabilities to enjoy the freedom of sailing. Winners of this year’s Award were selected from 341 groups nominated by members of the public who have been helped personally or witnessed the benefits of a group’s work in their community.

Rutland Sailability will receive a certificate signed by the Queen and an exclusive commemorative crystal, presented by Her Majesty's representative in Rutland, The Lord Lieutenant for Rutland, Dr. Laurence Howard, at a special ceremony.  The group has also received an invitation for representatives to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in the summer.

Speaking of their success, Tricia McNair from Rutland Sailability said: “We are absolutely delighted to be awarded this prestigious honour in recognition of the work we do here at Rutland Water.  Our volunteer helpers work all year round to help people with disabilities to sail and to enjoy the sociable aspect of their club at Rutland Water”

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Main Award Committee Chair and former broadcast journalist Martyn Lewis CBE said, “Outstanding volunteer groups across the UK all too often go without recognition for the truly amazing work they do, despite the vital part they play in helping bind our communities together.  It’s a great pleasure to celebrate the efforts of Rutland Sailability with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and help raise awareness of all they do for the benefit of others.”

More than 850 groups around the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man have now won The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, over the eight years since it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.

For details of all this year’s Award winners and information on how to nominate a group, visit www.direct.gov.uk/thequeensawardforvoluntaryservice, where a nomination form can be downloaded.

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Presentation of The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service

Thursday, 9th September 2010 at 2pm in The Clubhouse at Rutland Sailability, will long be remembered by all who were there.  This was the occasion of the presentation of The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service by Dr. Laurence Howard, Lord Lieutenant of Rutland representing Her Majesty The Queen.

Welcoming the Lord Lieutenant, Barry Parsisson, a Trustee of Rutland Sailability and Chairman of the Marketing & Promotions Team, expressed on behalf of the Club the great honour it was for all connected with Rutland Sailability, stressing the importance of those members who were helpers, where their support, whether physically or administratively, enabled Rutland Sailability to endure.

In response the Lord Lieutenant said, "I cannot sufficiently impress upon you just how difficult it is to achieve this Award; out of hundreds of nominations only a few are successful. It is doubly difficult to be successful when a nominee is part of a larger national organisation, such as Rutland Sailability is in relation to RYA Sailability.  When my wife and I first visited this Club we were immensely impressed and talked of nothing else on our journey home.  There was something so special about the people and an atmosphere of being in a large happy family.  The work you do here is exceptional and The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is richly deserved."

The Award was received by Tricia McNair, Chairman Rutland Sailability, who expressed her pride in representing “such a wonderful organisation”, saying, “….. there is something magical and mysterious about this club and how it works.  There are so many facets to what is done here and people just get on and do it mostly in a quiet way, and all without anyone formally organising who should do what.  There is always someone able to do what is needed, no problem goes unsolved, there are no harsh words but there are many, many smiles."  Tricia repeated her pride and sense of great honour in being Chairman of Rutland Sailability, adding, "we shall have to have a Royal corner created and maybe someone will make us something to enable us to prominently display this beautiful crystal alongside the Award citation.”

Mrs Pat Morley, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, read the Citation from the Award Certificate during the Presentation, and the audience applauded enthusiastically.

The invited guests included Elizabeth Mills, a member of the Assessment Team, Penny Wake Patron Rutland Sailability.  Ray Johnston, former Chairman Rutland Sailability, Sarah Forsythe High Sheriff of Rutland, Colonel Jim Weir OBE, President Rutland Sailing Club, Air Commodore and Mrs. Peter Gover, Wing Commander Andy Stewart and Richard Langford Chairman of the RYA.

Following the formal presentation and photographs, refreshments were served and guests and members all thoroughly enjoyed socialising, everyone agreeing that this was a momentous honour of which all involved should be proud.

The Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Mrs. Pat Morley recalled her visit to Rutland Sailability as a member of the Assessment Team following the nomination.  Naturally, no-one was made aware of the reason behind the Assessment Team's visit, and Mrs. Morley said the overwhelming impression the Team took away with them was of being made to feel most welcome amongst the membership where everyone was happy just being there.  The Team returned home completely convinced of the deservedness of Rutland Sailability to be honoured with The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

One of the regular helpers, David Skinns of Woodhall Spa Rotary Club, said "There is nowhere else on earth I would rather be on a Thursday than at Rutland Sailability, messing about in boats.  I love it."

Colonel Jim Weir, President Rutland Sailing Club, in conversation with one of the members expressed his admiration for Rutland Sailability.  "There is no question but that this award is rightly due as an acknowledgement of the excellence of what is done here.  Rutland Sailability is the leader in the County.”

Dr. Howard circulated amongst guests and Rutland Sailability members, stating repeatedly his absolute certainty that Rutland Sailability deserved to be honoured.

The atmosphere throughout the afternoon was heartwarming and everyone attending was reluctant to leave.  At least one guest accepted an invitation to take to the water in an Access dinghy, and a few others, including the Lord Lieutenant, promised to return to sail with Rutland Sailability members.

Additional photos of the Presentation are available in the Photo Gallery