Fife sailing instructor recognised for teaching efforts

Cheryl Taylor, a senior instructor at Dalgety Bay Sailing Club, was nominated for a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Scotland Impact Award. 

Cheryl is dedicated to grassroots sailing and shows patience during her lessons. 

She is a knowledgable teacher who puts her students at ease and gains their trust easily.

Cheryl said: “The ones that come through our AI (Assistant Instructor) program and into dinghy instructors, it gives them other life skills that they wouldn't necessarily get if they weren't teaching or giving back in the community.

“I enjoy giving back to the community.

"I enjoy seeing the children enjoying their time, particularly seeing the, the children who've come through from learning all the way through into becoming assistant instructors and becoming instructors.

"And then hopefully one day there'll be some that'll replace me."

You can watch a video of Cheryl sharing some of the sailing skills she helps children to develop below. 

Parent Melanie Grant said Cheryl's love to sail "shines through" in all of her lessons. 

She said: "I am not from a sailing background, but my son came down to the sailing club and has had a ball, passed level one, and they just came out on the Tuesday night sessions.

"He's just enjoying a sport that he's actually really good at and he's loving it.

"He even passed RYA level three last year when he was only trying to pass level two.

"Cheryl 's got two young children.

"She's got a very busy life. She's got a really hectic job.

"She really puts herself out there and you can tell her love is sail. It comes right through.

"I think she just wants kids to love sail as much as she did and have the opportunities that she did.

"And you can just see that shines through the way she talks about sailing.”

The RYA awards aim to recognise the value of people like share and share their stories over a series of short films during Volunteer Week, between June 1 and 7.