A ?SOUTHAMPTON man has ?received? ?one? ?of? ?the? ?most? ?prestigious? ?awards? ?in ?sailing in recognition of a life spent inspiring thousands of people to take up the past time.

Having Spent? ?30? ?years? ?working? ?for? ?the? ?Jubilee? ?Sailing? ?Trust, Woolston man Andy Spark received a Lifetime? ?Achievement? ?Award at? ?the? ?International? ?Sail? ?Training? ?&? ?Tall? ?Ships? ?Conference? ?in? ?Bordeaux,? ?France.

After? ?a? ?serious? ?motorbike? ?accident? ?led? ?to? ?the? ?amputation? ?of? ?his? ?leg? ?in? ?1988,? ?Andy? ?started? ?sailing on? ?board? ?the? ?Jubilee? ?Sailing? ?Trust’s? ?STS? ?Lord? ?Nelson? ?-? ?a? ?pioneering? ?tall? ?ship? ?that? ?is? ?accessible for? ?all? ?abilities? ?to? ?sail.

Since? ?then,? ?he? ?has? ?dedicated? ?his? ?career? ?to? ?helping? ?others? ?with? ?disabilities? ?embark? ?on life-changing? ?adventures? ?aboard? ?the? ?Trust’s? ?tall? ?ships.? ?Andy’s? ?near? ?30? ?year? ?career? ?has? ?taken? ?him from? ?being? ?involved? ?with? ?building? ?the? ?JST’s? ?second? ?accessible? ?tall? ?ship,? ?Tenacious,? ?to? ?recently becoming? ?Head? ?of? ?Programmes? ?-? ?an? ?instrumental? ?role? ?in? ?designing? ?inclusive? ?voyages? ?around the? ?world.

?Andy? ?said: “Tall? ?ship? ?sailing? ?is? ?the? ?perfect? ?platform? ?for? ?breaking? ?down? ?the? ?barriers? ?between? ?abilities.? ?It changed? ?my? ?life? ?for? ?the? ?better? ?nearly? ?30? ?years? ?ago? ?and? ?I’ve? ?been? ?fortunate? ?to? ?be? ?part? ?of? ?changing lives? ?of? ?others? ?since? ?then.? ?It’s? ?a? ?real? ?honour? ?to? ?receive? ?this? ?award,? ?particularly? ?as? ?the? ?nominations came? ?from? ?many? ?of? ?my? ?peers? ?and? ?people? ?who? ?have? ?been? ?involved? ?in? ?sail? ?training? ?for? ?longer? ?than I? ?have.

“I? ?urge? ?anyone? ?who? ?has? ?never? ?done? ?a? ?voyage? ?on? ?a? ?tall? ?ship? ?to? ?try? ?it? ?out.? ?Irrespective? ?of? ?age? ?or ability,? ?I? ?guarantee? ?you? ?will? ?learn? ?a? ?lot? ?about? ?yourself? ?and? ?others? ?you? ?sail? ?with.”

Paul? ?Fairhurst,? ?the? ?JST’s? ?Strategy,? ?Policy? ?&? ?Planning? ?Director,? ?commented: “Andy? ?is? ?a? ?man? ?with? ?an? ?unrivalled? ?passion? ?for? ?our? ?work,? ?for? ?our? ?ships? ?and? ?for? ?the? ?people? ?whose lives? ?we? ?change.? ?He? ?is? ?widely? ?respected? ?for? ?a? ?knowledge? ?of? ?sail? ?training? ?and? ?? ?seamanship? ?that? ?is extraordinary? ?in? ?someone? ?who? ?has? ?no? ?professional? ?seafaring? ?qualifications.

“He? ?cares? ?greatly? ?for,? ?and? ?will? ?go? ?out? ?of? ?his? ?way? ?to? ?help,? ?colleagues? ?and? ?people? ?around him.? ?He? ?always? ?stands? ?up? ?for? ?what? ?he? ?believes? ?is? ?right? ?-? ?often? ?in? ?a? ?way? ?that? ?plays? ?to? ?his? ?image? ?as “a? ?grumpy? ?Welshman”.? ?Andy? ?thoroughly? ?deserves? ?this? ?award.? ?We? ?are? ?all? ?thrilled? ?for? ?him.”