As National Volunteers Week celebrates the theme ‘3 Cheers for Volunteers’, Australian Sailing recognises Cherry Callcott of the Fremantle Sailing Club for her decades of dedicated service to the sport in Western Australia.
Cherry’s journey as a sailing volunteer began in 1975 at South of Perth Yacht Club (SoPYC), helping run the Geraldton Ocean Classic as well as the Mandurah and Yanchep Return Races. Over the next decade, she became a regular fixture at the club, contributing to both summer yacht racing and winter power yacht time trials, including State Championships.
In 1979, Cherry joined Fremantle Sailing Club (FSC) and continued her deep involvement in offshore race management. She has contributed to a long list of major events, including multiple Fremantle to Bali Races (1981, 1986, 1990, 2011), the Lombok Race (1997), the Cockburn Sound Regatta and the internationally recognised Whitbread, Volvo, Clipper and Five Oceans Races.
One of her most memorable experiences came during the 2002 Bankwest Freo to Darwin Splash, where Cherry joined the race escort boat Vigiliant. The team conducted position reporting and ensured participant safety across challenging coastal conditions.
In 2025, Cherry is as busy as she’s ever been. She leads as the coordinator of the Ocean Racing WA Race Team, where she prepares race day rosters, confirms attendance and assigns critical roles such as timing, spotting, flags and radio watch. For long-distance events, she also arranges catering for radio watch personnel, often sourcing supplies herself.
She says volunteering has given her a unique window into the world of ocean racing and helped her build strong friendships along the way.
“You develop strong bonds with sailors and their friendships are immeasurable,” Cherry said. “Offshore sailors are a unique breed and their stories when they come ashore are usually humorous as well as compelling.”
Cherry encourages anyone with a connection to sailing to consider getting involved.
“I would not hesitate to volunteer, particularly if you have a partner who sails but you’re not really interested in sailing. It becomes easier to understand their love of the ocean and it creates a bond. You get to meet interesting people and learn that you are a lifeline for those out in the ocean.”
For more than 20 years, Cherry has also taken time off work to assist with Geographe Bay Race Week in Busselton. She continues to support a variety of events, from major offshore races to local river sailing days.
While her contributions have been widely recognised when she was named Volunteer of the Year for WA in 2024, Cherry remains modest.
“I always get embarrassed if I get nominated or win an award because it is definitely a team effort. I do it because I love it and the team you work with is so important,” she said.
Cherry’s passion, reliability, and exceptional service have made her a cornerstone of Fremantle Sailing Club and WA’s offshore sailing community. Here’s Three Cheers for Cherry!
