Otley Sailing Club has celebrated an “immensely proud” day by receiving the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The club, whose groundbreaking work with disabled youngsters from across Bradford, Otley, Ilkley and Skipton, under its Sailfree programme has previously earned it a visit from Princess Anne, was presented with “the MBE for volunteer groups”.
Dignitaries including Otley town councillors, town mayor Councillor Mary Vickers, and the owner of the club’s Weston Water base, Christopher Dawson – who had travelled over from Australia – turned out for the occasion.
Club commodore Matt Thomas, receiving the award from the Queen’s representative Dr Ingrid Roscoe, Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, said: “This is really due to the hard work of our Sailfree volunteers and I am immensely proud of the work they do for the wider community.”
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