FRENSHAM Sailing Club will feature prominently when the Royal Yachting Association’s awards are presented by Princess Anne, President of the RYA, this week.

Three members of the Videlo family will receive the Family Award and David Hawkins will take the Lifetime Commitment Award after being nominated by Frensham SC and then being selected as winners by the RYA Honours and Awards Panel.

The awards are in recognition of their commitment to their sport.

The trophies will be presented by the Princess Royal at the RYA’s annual awards ceremony in London tomorrow (Friday).

The Videlo family has been a mainstay of Frensham SC for over three generations. Mo and her husband, Don, joined the club with their children, Ian, Keith and Karen, in the early 1960s. Their passion for sailing has inspired members through the years.

Don initially sailed an Enterprise with Mo and subsequently moved on to Larks and Lasers. Both encouraged their children in their sailing activities. Ian won the Cadet Worlds and Nationals in 1975 and the Lark Nationals in 1978.

Having moved away from the area, Ian remains an honorary Frensham member and is currently vice-commodore of Waldringfield SC in Suffolk, where both he and his wife, Alyson, are heavily involved in the running of the club.

Ian followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming Cadet Class Association chairman while their children were competing.

Keith Videlo won the Cadet Nationals and Worlds in 1976, the Laser Nationals in 1989, the Laser Masters Nationals in 1996 and the Solo Nationals in 2002. He has served in many committee posts at Frensham, including as commodore from 2012-2015. He was a trustee of Frensham Sailability and is currently the UK Cadet Association sailing secretary.

His wife, Steph, has served on the Frensham committee as general secretary and she is currently Cadet Class captain. Keith and Steph regularly support the club’s Cadet fleet in open competitions at home and abroad.

Having crewed competitively for her brothers in Cadets, Karen Ferguson (née Videlo) is now the mainstay of the club’s youth coaching programme as training principal. She and husband Gary have supported the club’s Cadet fleet in competitions and accompanied the nine Frensham members of the 20-strong GBR team to the 2016 Cadet World Championship in Argentina.

Keith’s daughters, Rebecca (16) and Charlotte (14), are accomplished Cadet and Laser sailors and RYA assistant dinghy instructors, as is Karen’s daughter Megan (15), the 2016 Inland National Cadet champion. Megan has now transitioned to her first year of 420 sailing.

The family’s continuous 55 years of active contribution to Frensham Sailing Club is exceptional and inspirational, not only because it spans three generations, but also because it exemplifies an enthusiasm for dinghy sailing and the willingness to volunteer – attributes on which all successful clubs are built.

The Videlos said in a joint statement: “It was a great surprise and honour to have been nominated for such a prestigious award. Our only regret is that our father, Donald, isn’t alive today to join us in receiving the award. It was his determination and passion for the sport of dinghy sailing that set us off on this lifetime’s journey. We owe him and Mo a huge debt of gratitude for all the help and support they have given us.”

For 29 years, David Hawkins has put energy, enthusiasm and good humour into everything he does at Frensham SC.

The successful expansion of the club’s RYA training provision is due largely to his extraordinary effort and commitment in time and energy over 17 years as the chief instructor. He is also a powerboat instructor, organising powerboat courses for all prospective dinghy instructors and safety boat drivers. His technical expertise is invaluable in maintaining the safety boats and engines.

He also supports Frensham’s Sailability activities with instructor, powerboat and first-aid training, as well as organising events and moving boats around the country.

Modest and unassuming, David has encouraged and inspired others to develop their sailing skills and make their own contributions to the club’s success.

He said: “I was overwhelmed to find that I had been selected for this award. Joining Frensham enabled me to participate in a hobby that I thoroughly enjoy. Being involved in the RYA training scheme has been particularly fulfilling, seeing so many children and adults developing the skills which give them access to the enjoyment of sailing. I found it particularly satisfying to watch young club members progress through the RYA training scheme to become instructors in their turn.”

• For information about how to get out on the water in the London and South-East region, visit www.rya.org.uk/go/ startboating

For more about Frensham Sailing Club, visit http://sailfrensham.org.uk