National Award Honours for Wolverhampton Sailors

Three Wolverhampton sailors have been awarded two of the Royal Yachting Association’s most prestigious national awards in recognition of their exceptional generosity and commitment to the sport.

Mary and David Harris, from Penn, have been recognised with an RYA Lifetime Commitment Award for their exceptional dedication to Himley Hall Sailing Club for over 40 years.

Meanwhile, Tettenhall’s Kamila Czartolomna, who turns 17 this month, will be presented with an RYA Youth Award by HRH The Princess Royal, President of the RYA, at the annual awards ceremony at One Great George Street, London on Friday 24 November.

Sadly David, who enjoyed a long career teaching at Bingley Secondary Modern, Highfields Comprehensive and Bilston College of Further Education as well as co-founding the Wolverhampton Astronomical Society, passed away in July, aged 83, a day after finding out he and Mary had won the RYA award.

He and Mary joined Himley Hall in 1970, going on to have an immeasurable impact on both the club and the people who have sailed there. David co-founded the club’s training section and spent over 40 years as Principal Instructor, teaching thousands of children and adults to learn to sail, while as Social Secretary for 25 years, Mary organised club events and catering. Her charity fundraisers have also raised substantial funds for the RNLI.

In 2013 the couple won an Old Pulteney Maritime Heroes Award, rewarding the outstanding passion, commitment and achievements demonstrated within Britain’s maritime communities, and picked up £1,000, which they immediately donated back to the club to help improve training and classroom facilities.

Mary, 85, said:

David had been on sailing course in Southampton when he was at Teacher Training College and soon realised there was a need to teach sailing. He did the necessary qualifications and our own children, Chris now 50 and Libby 47, were on that very first course at Himley. I also became Training Secretary, helping with the administration of all the sailing and powerboat courses run at the club, which I continued until last year. After David retired as Senior Instructor he became Life President of the club’s Training Section, an honour he held with great pleasure. When we found out we had won this award we were so thrilled and humbled that our years of service to our sailing club had been recognised. You don’t do it for glory but to help in the community and to encourage people to sail and get enjoyment in such a sport."

Meanwhile, having learned to sail aged seven, and developing as a talented dinghy sailor, Kamila has barely been out of the local headlines since becoming the first girl in 10 years to win a national Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship powerboat driving title in 2014. In total the Wolgarston High School A-Level student has won a record-breaking four Honda RYA Youth RIB trophies and continues racing dinghies against adults at her club too.

RYA Youth Awards recognise individuals under the age of 25 who have demonstrated a regular commitment and/or inspirational contribution over-and-above their own participation or achievement within the sport.

She said: Sailing and powerboating have been very character building and have led me to meet so many great new people, also making me a more rounded and confident individual. They have helped me face challenges and learn new skills. Most importantly I really enjoy doing them and hope to be involved in the sport for life. It is really an honour to represent the club and accept this award. I was very surprised and wasn't expecting it at all!"

The RYA is boating’s national governing body and the Volunteer Awards are considered the ‘MBEs' of the sport, honouring people throughout the UK for their outstanding contributions across all the disciplines the RYA represents, including sailing, windsurfing, powerboating, inland waterways and personal watercraft.

The Harris’ and Kamila were nominated by their clubs and selected as winners by the RYA Honours and Awards Panel.

For more information about the RYA Volunteer Awards or to find out how you can get out on the water in the Midlands visit www.rya.org.uk

ENDS