Sailability volunteers at Whitefriars Sailing Club receive accolade

Kind-hearted volunteers at Sailability in Ashton Keynes - which is based at Whitefriars Sailing Club on Lake 26 - have been honoured with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.

The Ashton Keynes sailing group has 16 boats and is run by a committed group of trained volunteers who deliver the Royal Yachting Association's Sailability training programme.

Sarah enjoying a Sailability training session at Lake 26 (Image: Sailability at Whitefriars Sailing Club)

It enables people living with all kinds of disabilities and long-term health issues to engage with and enjoy sailing.

Weekly Sailability sessions take place at Lake 26 every Wednesday between April and October. 

A spokesperson for Sailability at Whitefriars Sailing Club said: "We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

"We are honoured to be able to celebrate our exceptional team of volunteers in this way and to thank them for everything that they do. 

A Sailability training session on Lake 26 (Image: Sailability at Whitefriars Sailing Club)

"Sailing is an incredibly accessible sport, and we have a range of equipment which means we can get anyone out in a boat to enjoy the tranquillity of our beautiful lake - or to experience the thrill of racing!

"Our volunteers are dedicated to supporting our sailors and each other both on and off the water.

"It is an enormous honour to receive this award and to share it with our very special team."

This special accolade was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and, following his accession, His Majesty The King emphasised his desire to continue it.

All the charitable recipients will be announced annually on King Charles III's birthday, November 14.