Introduction
Introduction by the Commodore
It is my great pleasure to introduce Seafarers Sailing Club's Diamond Jubilee Booklet. This beautifully written and illustrated publication captures the very heart and soul of our superb Club. It reveals that, from the outset, Seafarers was built on a foundation of teamwork, a shared love of sailing and a genuine can-do attitude. It strikes me that this is as evident now, as we face the unprecedented challenges presented by a global pandemic, as it was when the Club was first established 60 years ago, quite literally being created from nothing.
Self-help, innovation, volunteering, generosity, community feel, strong governance and a desire to have fun are all key tenets to our outstanding success. But it is undoubtedly the friendly feeling of the Club and the welcoming environment, generated by the members, that is our core strength. I have lost count on how many times this point has been made to me during my time as Commodore.
As the Booklet reveals, our membership numbers have held up well over the years, even when other Clubs have struggled. Indeed, we have grown steadily and despite Coronavirus have set a new record this year. In parallel, activity whether ashore or afloat has always been of high quality, inclusive and varied. I am sure I reflect the views of the previous Commodores, all 20 of them, in saying a personal thanks to the many committee members and volunteers for all that they have done to lead, manage and enable the many outputs. That said it is the membership that really sets the tone and as you enjoy and reflect on our heritage, you will see what I mean.
It really has been a difficult year for many of our members and we have done well to meet the huge difficulties presented by Covid-19. We were agile, consistent and measured in our response, ensuring that we could optimise the delivery of safe sailing in line with the all the regulations and advice. As a result, we are very well placed to move forward in 2021 with a focus on recovery and regeneration. We have all the necessary mechanisms, assets and people, so bring it on! I do hope that we will be able to hold a massive Diamond Jubilee party and I know that we can make next season really special. I suspect, we may not be able to rush this, but with your support we can build a real head of steam and take Seafarers Sailing Club to new highs.
Finally, a big thanks to Mike Burlingham, John Hamon and the other contributors for all the work that has gone into creating this brilliant record. It is so effective and clear in capturing exactly who we are, what we do, our successes and why we all believe so passionately in our Club.
With very best wishes
Commodore
28 December 2020
Last updated 13:50 on 22 April 2024
