A presentation evening was held recently at Ocean in Exmouth to celebrate the achievements over the last year of Exmouth Swimming and Life Saving Society members, writes Ian Lang.

In 2018, the society was celebrating its 125th anniversary and a short history was incorporated into the evening.

The mayor, Mr Jeff Trail, and his wife Sue attended along with 300 members old and new.

Mr Ron Snowshall and wife Pamela were presented with a very special award for 50 years of service and dedication to the society. The award was presented by Jane Easton, the current Devon ASA President.

The society was given a short history of how the club started and progressed to the present day with a display of memorabilia and photographs that were researched by Julia Tolman-May.

Awards were given across all sections of the society. Commemorative cubes were also given to all life members, coaches, teachers, volunteers, helpers and swimmers receiving their awards.

Mr Barry Westaway spoke of the outstanding level of open water and channel swimming within the club.

Mr Alan Franks, himself a channel swimmer, has a 100 per cent success rate training channel swimmers to successfully complete the crossing.

The society has produced many successful solo and relay crossings since its centenary year in 1993.

Outgoing chairman of the society, Sue Westaway, who has served for the last eight years, was given a special award for her outstanding service.

A cake displaying the society’s logo and made by Tracy Simpson, one of the society’s swimming coaches, was cut by Mrs Aggie Jordan, a life member and the oldest and longest-standing member of the society.