Former teacher receives RYA Award
Former Sevenoaks teacher Bruce Hebbert has been presented with a Lifetime Commitment Award by HRH the Princess Royal, President of the RYA, in recognition of his commitment to the British Schools Dinghy Racing Association.
Bruce was one of the founding teachers of the British Schools Dinghy Racing Association 30 years ago, and a driving force behind UK team racing, providing consistent support to schools and universities in organising and running their events. His work greatly contributed to the modern form of team racing, umpiring and the Call Book.
More recently he developed the 2k Team Racing circuit which now runs events across the world, providing fun competitive racing and ensuring that once students leave university there is a route to keep them within the sport.
At Sevenoaks School, Bruce ran the Sailing Club for 20 years alongside his academic role teaching Economics and Business Studies. He established Sevenoaks as one of the best sailing schools in the UK, with our sailors successfully competing and winning a total of eight international championships.
In 2000 Bruce joined the RYA as a high performance manager but, fortunately for us, returned to the school a year later having missed teaching and coaching our pupils. He retired in 2009 after 25 years at Sevenoaks.
As Commodore of the British Schools Dinghy Racing Association, Chairman of RYA Team Sailing and an international umpire, Bruce’s influence on sailing has extended well beyond Sevenoaks, and the impact that he has had on the sport is immeasurable.
A member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, he actively helps to run a number of their events and coordinate umpires, and he is also a key founding partner of Wealden Sailability in Chipstead.
Bruce joined Sevenoaks School in 1983 to teach Business Studies and was also involved in boarding, initially as a tutor in GIH and then in setting up and running Sennocke House with his wife, Amanda.
Congratulations to Bruce on receiving this incredibly prestigious award.
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