IT HAS been a special year for Port Isaac Rowing Club who have been celebrating their 25th anniversary throughout 2016.

Port Isaac is a small community club with a big heart. With their three gigs, Corsair, Roscarrock and Unity, club members participate in everything from the World Gig Championships to local regattas to the Great London River Race with great gusto and enthusiasm. Every year the club members raise money for chosen charities and organise their annual regatta.

They row out from Port Isaac whenever possible on a sunny summer evening or Sunday morning. Many people believe there is simply nowhere better to be!

The club would like to say a few words of thanks and appreciation to all those who have supported them over the years, including rowers, non-rowers and locals. Many businesses have helped them raise funds for their small community club.

To celebrate the 25th year of Corsair being launched in the village, a number of fun events were organised, which have really raised the profile of the club and helped recruit some new members!

It was also a great way to inform old members and people who used to be linked to the club about their progress.

In April, their beloved Corsair gig was rededicated in a memorable event, bringing all members of the community together.

There they were joined by Peter Reveley aka ‘Dasher’ the original builder of Corsair, and the Rev Dr Elizabeth Wild, who conducted the service with singing from the Port Isaac Chorale.

The World Championships in the Isles of Scilly saw plenty of success.

The ladies’ A crew did brilliantly to come top of their group and secured a podium place. The men were second in their group as were the ladies B, while the ladies Super Vets finished eighth.

June saw the club exhibit Corsair at the Royal Cornwall Show in Wadebridge.

Lots of people came to see them and have a go on the rowing machines, which even managed to persuade some people to join.

A gig exhibition was also carefully negotiated with PISCES (Port Isaac’s local history group) and it is now a permanent part of the historical societies rolling programme of annual exhibitions and an important part of the history of the village.

The visit of Prince Charles to Port Isaac gave their beloved Jack Russell terrier, Jenny, the ’royal seal of approval’, and made her even more famous, while they were extremely honoured that their place in the community allowed Corsair to stand proud on the platt on the royal visit.

The club were also extremely pleased to see many of those with connections to the club at their formal celebratory dinner and dance when the annual awards were made.

Special thanks were expressed to Trevor Beare, Bob Bulgin and Jon Cleave who were part of the founding committee; with many helping with the fundraising for Corsair and Jon coming up with the idea of interest free loans from locals and businesses and designing the club’s first logo.

Thanks were also expressed to Roger Mutton for his speech; the founder of the London Great River Race.

The trophies were then handed out, including Tony Cook, who won the Bob Bulgin Award for the best all round club member, Sheelagh Driscoll for the ’Lady Rower of the Year’, Charlie Moorwood, for ’Male Rower of the Year’, Brad Squires for ’Most Improved Rower’ and finally, the ’Broken Thole Pin’ was awarded to Neil Blackeby, who managed to break a pin on the first stroke of a race, losing his paddle overboard in the process!

Every year, since 2010, Port Isaac Rowing Club has raised thousands of pounds for charity and the members aim to donate around £1,000 per year to their chosen charities. They have donated to Shelterbox, Precious Lives, Cornwall Leukaemia Trust, Active8, Riding for the Disabled (North Cornwall), Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), Merlin Appeal (for MS sufferers in Cornwall), Children’s Hospice South West, RNLI, and in 2016, their two nominated charities, the Cornwall Wildlife Fund and St Petroc’s Society, which helps the homeless.

A big thank you was also expressed to the Fisherman’s Friends who let the club hold a fundraising barbecue when they sing with around 25% of funds raised going to charity.

The final event of the year, the annual Gig Push, takes on Tuesday, December 27, when cheques will be presented to their two nominated charities for 2016, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and St Petroc’s Society.

Mulled wine and bacon sandwiches will be on offer outside the RNLI in Port Isaac from 11am and the Gig Push will start at midday from The Slipway, Port Isaac to The Cornish Arms, Pendoggett, and back to Port Isaac.

All are welcome and are encouraged to come along, push the gig and enjoy refreshments at the Angry Anchovy.