Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

NI Volunteers Recognised at RYA Awards in London

15th November 2023
Richard Robinson of County Antrim Yacht Club received an Outstanding Contribution award from Princess Anne
Richard Robinson of County Antrim Yacht Club received an Outstanding Contribution award from Princess Anne at the RYA Volunteer Awards in London last Friday 10 November

Two of Northern Ireland’s most committed volunteers were recognised at the RYA Volunteer Awards in London last Friday (10 November).

Richard Robinson of County Antrim Yacht Club received an Outstanding Contribution award, while Jack Kennedy of Strangford Lough Yacht Club received a Young Volunteer award.

The event was attended by The Princess Royal, president of the RYA, and highlighted the amazing work of volunteers from all sections of the United Kingdom.

Commenting on the contribution of volunteers, RYA chief executive Sara Sutcliffe MBE said: “I am blown away by the commitment and dedication shown by our volunteers. I’m immensely grateful for everything you do, which simply put, keeps our sport and communities afloat.”

Jack Kennedy of Strangford Lough Yacht Club received a Young Volunteer award from Princess AnneJack Kennedy of Strangford Lough Yacht Club received a Young Volunteer award from Princess Anne

Richard Robinson supports County Antrim Yacht Club’s Training Centre as a qualified senior instructor, advanced powerboat instructor, safety boat instructor and windsurfing instructor. Over many years as a volunteer, he has taught hundreds of people to sail, led dozens of power and safety boat courses and facilitated thousands of races. Robinson is also the RTC principal for Belfast Lough Sailability.

Jack Kennedy, meanwhile, began volunteering aged 14, helping at Sunday sailing sessions for young children at Strangford Lough Yacht Club where he was also an assistant instructor. He soon progressed to become a senior instructor and powerboat instructor, helping to coordinate other activities including the regional RYA Women on Water festival and Discover Sailing days.

For more background on NI’s winning volunteers, see the RYA website HERE.

Afloat.ie Team

About The Author

Afloat.ie Team

Email The Author

Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.

Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

Direct Donation to Afloat button

About the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Northern Ireland 

  • The RYA is the national body for dinghy, yacht and motor cruising, all forms of sail racing, RIBs and sports boats, windsurfing and personal watercraft and a leading representative for inland waterways cruising.
  • The RYA is recognised by Government, the media and opinion formers as the representative body and voice for the activities that it represents. It continually fights for the rights and freedoms of its 112,000 personal members.
  • The RYA has more than 1,500 affiliated clubs and classes, which represent some 350,000 boaters throughout the UK. It is estimated that 4 million people in the UK take part in boating activity annually.
  • The RYA also sets and maintains recognised standards for training for both leisure and commercial boating through a network of more than 2,400 RYA Recognised Training Centres across 58 countries. More than 250,000 people per year complete RYA training courses.
  • The RYA is responsible for one of the UK’s most successful Olympic medal-winning sports. Our coaching and development schemes actively support 800 of our country’s top sailors, from talented juniors to Olympic and World champions.
  • The RYA is committed to promoting all forms of boating and making them accessible to everyone. For more information please visit www.rya.org.uk.
  • The Royal Yachting Association Northern Ireland (RYA NI) acts for the RYA in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Chairman of RYA NI is invited to join the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) Policy Review Committee.
  • You can find the RYA Northern Ireland at Sketrick House, GE8, Jubilee Road, Newtownards, BT23 4YH.
  • RYA NI is a company limited by guarantee – Registration number NI 51945
  • Contact RYA NI: Tel: 02891 827154 email: [email protected]