South Australian Volunteer duo a cause to celebrate
Hailing from Adelaide Sailing Club in South Australia, dedicated volunteers Malcolm Hughes and Peter Royle consistently go above and beyond for the sake of both their local and broader sailing community.
Recently awarded Volunteer of the Year at the recent Australian Sailing Awards for their extensive and continued contributions, Hughes and Royle exemplify the spirit of volunteerism in sailing, and on this International Volunteer Day, as well as every other day, we recognise and celebrate their positive impact.
Throughout the sailing season, Malcolm and Peter were committed to countless hours each week, often giving up their evenings and weekends to ensure success.
Among other incredible and meaningful successes, their extraordinary efforts over the past three years played a significant role in bringing three major ILCA regattas to Adelaide, showcasing South Australia and the broader Australian sailing community on the world stage.
For Hughes, the recognition at the annual Awards reflects a broader team effort which he is proud to represent.
“It was quite special to win Volunteer of the Year alongside Peter; our club has relied heavily on volunteer work this year with up to 140 volunteers on-hand at peak periods, so to have won the award on behalf of the whole team means a lot,” said Hughes.
“I think it’s really great that Australian Sailing does recognise the volunteers at the annual awards, because without the volunteers, our sport doesn’t happen. It’s important for volunteers to know they’re valued.
“The volunteer community is incredibly varied, we have a huge range of skills, ages and backgrounds. Their motivation for volunteering is also incredibly diverse, which only makes the community richer,” he said.
Royle agreed, stating “There are so many incredible volunteers within the sailing community Australia-wide and volunteers are really what makes our sport special.”
"We all chip in, we all help each other, no matter the size of the club, we're there for each other.
“It’s important we treat our volunteers better than we treat our competitors, because our competitors will come back tomorrow but our volunteers might not. We train them, dress them and love them because they’re so important to our overall operations and we need them every day. I think that’s part of our club's success as well,” he said.
When discussing volunteering more generally, both Hughes and Royle said there were so many reasons to enjoy taking part.
“The range of people is my favourite thing about volunteering. You see and spend time with so many friends, new and old,” said Royle.
“My favourite part about volunteering is that at the end of the day, you can sit back and see the achievement of the whole team in what the team has actually produced,” said Hughes.
“To be part of a team that can achieve something incredible and enjoy that team environment is special, in particular when you volunteer within a sport like sailing that doesn’t always recognise the big teams.”
Volunteers are essential to the operation of sailing in Australia, and important at every level of club operation and competition.
Australian Sailing extends its sincerest thanks to Hughes, Royle and volunteers around the country for their selfless contributions which make the sailing community so special.
