Tees and Hartlepool YC 

The club has received a grant of nearly £10,000 from Sport England as well as the RYA North East Club Initiative of the Year Award.

The awards were presented to the club by the ceremonial Mayor of Hartlepool, Councillor Stephen Akers-Belcher and were received by THYC President Tommy Richardson and Commodore Barry Hughes. 

"On behalf of the Club, I am very grateful to Hartlepool Borough Council, Sport England and the RYA for all their support over the past couple of years," said Club Commodore Barry Hughes after the presentations.

"At the club we are committed to our goal of bringing sailing and boating opportunities to a wider audience. This goal was made easier by the generous support of Hartlepool Borough Council, whose grants and bursaries allowed our plans to take shape." 

It was the club's work with HBC that brought the club to the attention of the RYA North East Committee and led ultimately to the Club Initiative of the Year Award. "We had several strong entries for our Club Initiative of the Year Award 2013, but the entry from Tees and Hartlepool Yacht Club was outstanding," explained Steve Gibbon, Chairman of the RYA North East Region.

"Volunteering is recognised by the RYA as one of the pivotal aspects of our sport and provides a foundation upon which we can build a successful sailing nation. That starts with clubs like Tees and Hartlepool. Without the time and dedication of volunteers, success such as the club has achieved, would not be possible." 

"Throughout 2013 we opened our doors to the Hartlepool community," continued Commodore Barry Hughes. "We held events such as family open days, training sessions for schools and a series of events for disadvantaged and disabled people under the RYA Sailabilty banner." 

"I would like to thank the club members for their hard work, support and co-operation. It is fantastic to know that our application to Sport England for a grant to build a new pontoon has been approved. This pontoon is vital and will hugely improve the disabled access to our boats." 

"On behalf of Hartlepool Borough Council, I would like to congratulate Tees and Hartlepool Yacht Club on their success," said Dan Garthwaite, Sport and Physical Activity Officer at HBC.

"The work the club has done over the past year, both on and off the water, has been tremendous. We have worked alongside the club and a number of other partners to increase the inclusivity of sailing and boating and the new Sport England pontoon will help us achieve this." 

For more information about Tees and Hartlepool Yacht Club visit www.thyc.org.uk