ʴ ˚˘˧˘ ˜˚˛˧ ˦˔˜ ˔˧ ˧˛˘ ˖˨˕Ϡ˦ ˖˔ˠˣʠ˩˘˥ ˘˘˞˘˗ʡ


CLUB FOCUS: Shropshire Sailing Club Mere beauty


Nurturing nature and new sailors of all ages and abilities are at this club’s heart


A


ccording to John Ridgers, the club’s Rear Commodore, ‘Guests visiting Shropshire Sailing


Club for the first time often remark how beautiful our location is.’ This might be due to its home on


Whitemere in North Shropshire being a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its wildlife diversity. ‘The mere’s margins teem with aquatic life. Large carp are often seen breaking the surface at dusk. Everything we do


is driven to sustain or improve our environment,’ confirms John. Apart from the rainwater, the club’s


washing, showering and toilet waste is captured and taken away to be treated professionally. Nothing the club uses goes into the mere. To further mitigate water pollution, the club’s safety boats are serviced regularly. ‘Our safety boat petrol engines have been 4-stroke for many years,’ John points out. ‘Like our local angling club, we are seeking out grants to transition to cleaner electric engines too.’


Ϣˇ˛˘ ˦ˠ˘˧˜ˠ˘˦ʠЄ˨˞˘ ˜˗ ˣ˨˦˛˜˚ ˧˛˥˨˚˛ ˧˛˘ ˦˨˥˥˨˗˜˚ ˧˥˘˘˦ ˖˔ ˠ˔˞˘ ˥˔˖˜˚ ˜˧˘˥˘˦˧˜˚ʔϣ


ˌ˨˚ ˦˔˜˥˦ ˜˦˧˘ ˜ ˔˧ ˔ ˂ʵ˔˥˗ ˖˔˖˛˜˚ ˦˘˦˦˜ʡ


Shropshire Sailing Club was formed


in the autumn of 1950 – the first Commodore being the-then his Grace the Duke of Westminster. Through the decades it has changed and developed into a vibrant and inclusive organisation. ‘Our very popular RYA- recognised training courses are Youth Stage 1–3 and Adult Start Sailing and Basic Skills, with children and their parents learning to sail side-by-side over the same weekend together,’ John states. ‘They then go home, talking about the experiences they’ve each had during the day.’


Shropshire Sailing Club’s affiliation


with the RYA means it had help and guidance setting up and developing its OnBoard scheme, and Sailability centre; the club now has a small fleet of single and double-crewed Hansas, and a Kinsman. John says that ‘being RYA-affiliated means we’re a part of something that we believe helps us to grow and be successful.’ sailshropshire.co.uk


Facts about Shropshire SC


O ʻ˘˗ ˧˛˘ Ѓ˥˦˧ ˝˃ʤʧ ˁ˔˧˜˔ ʶ˛˔ˠˣ˜˦˛˜ˣ ˜ ʤʨʥ


O ʶ˨˕ ˠ˘ˠ˕˘˥˦ ˥˘˖˘˜˩˘˗ ˧˛˘ ˦˘˖˗ ˕˔˧˖˛ ˙˝˃ʤʧ˦ ˦˔˜ ˨ˠ˕˘˥˦ ʤʤʥʦ


ˊ˛˜˧˘ˠ˘˥˘ ˜˦ ˔ ˘˖ˠ˜˚ ˘˩˜˥ˠ˘˧ ˙˥ ˜˗˜˙˘ ˔˗ ˕˔˧˘˥˦ʡ


Oˊ˛˜˧˘ˠ˘˥˘ ˜˦ ˣ˦˦˜˕ ˧˛˘ ˦ˠ˔˘˦˧ ˜˔˗ ˔˧˘˥ ʛ˔ˣˣ˥˜ˠ˔˧˘ ʨ ˔˖˥˘˦ ˧ ˛˦˧ ˞˘˘˕˔˧˦ ʹ˜˚ ʹ˜˙˧˘˘ ʾʤ ʾʥ ˔˗ ʾ


rya.org.uk SUMMER 2025 63


Photos: G Jones/S Taaffe/C Adlington


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