Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron Celebrates Community and Achievements at Annual General Meeting
Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron (BYS) hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday, bringing members together to reflect on the past year, honor club traditions, and look forward to an exciting season ahead.
The meeting commenced with a respectful minute of silence, allowing members to honor and remember those from the BYS community who sadly passed away over the last year.
Following this, the Flag Officers presented their annual reports, detailing the hard work and upgrades happening around the club. A particular highlight was the engaging report delivered by Marina Chair, John Petschel, who updated the room on key marina developments and ongoing marine management.
Leadership Updates & Welcomes
The AGM marked several significant changes to the BYS leadership team:
-
Jenni Maclean was officially appointed as Club Captain.
-
James Allen was warmly welcomed as the newest member of the Executive Committee (EC).
-
Megan Bolton stepped down from the EC. The club extended its deepest gratitude to Megan, recognizing her long-standing term on the committee and her tireless commitment to the AFR.
BYS is also thrilled to announce our 2026–27 Junior Club Captains: Emily Hailes and Eamon Murphy. We wish them both a fantastic season ahead as they step into their leadership roles and support Jenni in guiding our younger sailors.
Celebrating Our Club Person of the Year
The highlight of the day came when Rear Commodore Richard Backwell stepped up to announce the recipient of the prestigious Ian Pender Memorial Award for Club Person of the Year (CPOTY).
The award, which honors a volunteer who consistently goes above and beyond for BYS, was awarded to Liam Batty.
Richard shared a heartfelt tribute to Liam’s journey at the club, noting that he started his sailing days in a Minnow. At an age when many young people drift away from yacht clubs, Liam stepped up to volunteer on a sub-committee. From his days working behind the bar to his current role in warmly onboarding new members, Liam is a true crowd favorite. (And as many members know, you can always count on finding him leading the charge on the dance floor whenever Kylie Minogue starts playing!)
Congratulations to Liam, our new captains, and thank you to all the members who attended.
We are looking forward to our 2026-27 sailing season when we will celebrate 75 years!
