A sunny but crisp winter morning greeted more than 60 club members as they arrived—shovels, strimmers and loppers in hand—for this year’s Winter Work Party. The impressive turnout set the tone for a morning filled with hard work, muddy clothes, and plenty of camaraderie.

Volunteers got stuck straight in, clearing ditches, tackling the muddy ramp (and inevitably getting covered in it), cutting back brambles around the Lasers, widening the sea wall footpath, organising the dinghy park and giving the race box, galley and office a much-needed tidy.

Meanwhile, Mike made himself indispensable, buzzing around on the quad bike to shift boats and other heavy kit, while Zoë followed with the tractor, scooping up heaps of branches and brambles as fast as they were cut back, and moving rocks with the digger.   

Mark, armed with his trusty chocolate bag, did the essential work of keeping spirits high with sweet treats and encouraging words.

A mid-morning tea break—with biscuits and festive mince pies—gave everyone a chance to thaw out and swap stories before heading back to the tasks at hand. And after hours of graft in the cold, the Galley team served up a very welcome baked potato lunch, topped off with Zoë’s delicious bakes.

This year’s Work Party also marked a special moment for Julie as she passed the Warden’s baton to her successor, Mick.   In recognition of her remarkable nine years of dedication, she was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers - a well-earned thank-you from the whole club.

With festive music drifting across the grounds and mulled wine prepared by Tommy and Karen to warm hands and hearts alike, it was a day that embodied what makes our club so special: community, commitment and a shared love of sailing.

Here’s to another year of teamwork—and to the volunteers who keep our club thriving.