Commodore Linda Ingram

Linda has been involved in sailing at various levels since she started sailing with this club in its first years. She has gained national honours in:

1972/74/76 – Minisail National Champion

1973 UK Ladies Champion – the first ever championships to be organised by the RYA which resulted in her being invited to represent the UK at the Women’s Europeans in Quiberon, France

1974/76 BSC Sports Personality of the Year

1977 Ladies Laser National Champion

1978 Ladies Laser National Champion

1979 - 84 Winner of the British Ladies Trials in the 420

1985 Winner of the British Ladies Trials in the 470

Over a 12-year period she was a member of the British Women’s Team that resulted in world travel and also qualified for the 420 mixed worlds on 4 occasions.

1974/75 Nominated for the Welsh Sports Personality of the Year when the awesome Gareth Edwards and his Welsh Team of the time took line honours.

1983 President of the British 420 Association

Linda says:

I am honoured to have been asked to become Commodore of a club with which I have had a long association.

In 1961, being a member of The Steel Company of Wales Ladies Hockey Section, I then joined the Sailing Section which soon became my first love. The Steel Company of Wales Sailing Club was then based at Llewellyn’s Quay in Port Talbot. I have seen many changes, but the first and, arguably, the most significant change was when, in 1963, we moved from the docks to Eglwys Nunnydd Reservoir. Driving forces “back in the day” were Mr Clem Hulme, Commodore and Mr Raymond Jones (Engineer in charge of the reservoir project who, fortunately for us, owned and sailed an Enterprise with his two sons Christopher and Anthony). The Commodore had the honour to be the first to sail on the reservoir (an Albacore) followed by Ray Jones in his Enterprise. And there the story begins…….

During my time at the Club, and as a family, over the years we owned and sailed an Enterprise (my first taste of sailing), Osprey (Stuart, my husband, bringing the first one into the club), Fireball, Minisail, Laser, Mirror and 420

I was involved in a sailing career that took me across the globe from the early seventies to the late 80s

1988 it was Pastures new with me joining the golf club. I held office of Secretary for many years together with being Lady Captain in 1996 and 2008. Awarded the Coates Merit Shield for services to the Club responsible for resurrecting the Summer Ball, and organising ladies Open meetings and dinners.

As well as my sailing and golfing backgrounds, my working experience included all commercial aspects of industry i.e. marketing, customer service, purchasing etc as Commercial Superintendent at BOC Longlands Lane. I have undertaken PA duties to the Chairman and Board of Directors of Capper & Co and became Operations Director at the then Bridgend Rugby Club that included the running of the Club and overseeing the hospitality side. All these skills I feel can be utilised in my position as Commodore.

Going forward with my first love of sailing, I should like to make our club more inviting to both existing members and their families and potential new members. In that respect, I welcome ideas and feedback from members as I would like to do everything possible to get more people on the water and to grow our membership. It would be quite an achievement to see us being able to buck the trend of declining membership at sailing clubs and I look forward to taking on the challenge.

Best regards to you all.

Linda

Commodore Tata Steel