Award for dedicated Swansea watersports instructor

Aston Grindrod is an RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Advanced Power Boat Instructor, Yachtmaster for sail and power, Yachtmaster Instructor for sail, Cruising Instructor for power, Personal Water Craft Instructor and a shore based instructor for VHF, first aid and navigation.

He was nominated for an Impact Award by his manager at Swansea Watersports, Ceri Davies, who said: “Aston also volunteers for Swansea Sea Cadets. All this at an age of 23. I believe Aston to be the youngest person to hold and use all of these qualifications and he is our chief instructor at Swansea Watersports.”

Aston first started dinghy sailing aged around 10 with Swansea Sea Cadets and also joined Tata Steel Sailing Club, where he was able to borrow club boats before getting his own Topper dinghy and then a doublehanded 420, which saw him racing with a friend at the club and at local events.

He said: “It was a lot of fun and so I decided that I wanted to work in watersports. I’m not very academic and quite severely dyslexic, and trying to understand coursework was getting harder, so I ended up causing mischief and was kicked out of comprehensive school for a period of time and went to an education centre. After I’d wised up a little bit, I returned to school and just about got through GCSEs and A levels, knowing I needed to get something behind me, and having watersports helped me to refocus because I’d found something I wanted to do.”

Aston was first employed by Ceri at the company’s Oxwich Watersports Centre, renting out equipment, and hard work was rewarded with mentoring to gain qualifications, alongside additional certificates subsidised by RYA Cymru Wales through an aspiring instructor’s programme.

Now spending six days a week on or beside the water, working or volunteering, Aston adds: “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of Ceri and Swansea Watersports, Mum, Dad, family and friends, Helen Banner (Sea Cadets), Nick Jenkins, Phil Jones (teachers) and so many more.

“I enjoy supporting The Sea Cadets across West Wales, helping children and adults learn to sail and to gain powerboat and safety boat qualifications. The Sea Cadets are a charity so it’s good to be able to help out and it’s rewarding to see someone who’s never been on a boat before progressing through the levels.

“A lot of people gave their time and effort and helped me along the way, and so it’s about giving back to help those who are now where I first started, and those who’ve seen what I’ve done and may want to follow the same route.”

The RYA Cymru Wales Impact Awards are run by the sport’s governing body to recognise those who go the extra mile to inspire people to enjoy sailing and watersports in line with its strategy – Together on our Waters – to create a connected, inspired and inclusive Welsh sailing and boating community.

Club Development Officer Hester Walker said Aston and Swansea Watersports represented a great example of centres supporting the growth and cultivation of home talent while providing employment in Wales, adding: “It’s a pleasure to be able to present an Impact Award to Aston in recognition of his rapid progress, professional standing and commitment to the sport.”

(Lead image: Hester Walker)

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Green movie matinée
Please join us for an award winning nature film. Click the link to find out more!

On Wednesday 4th September at 2pm, Worcester Green Party will hold a movie matinée at Diglis Basin Film Club.

https://worcester.greenparty.org.uk/upcoming-events/

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