At the Sydney International Boat Show, Chris Mitchell was presented the NSW Maritime Medal.  The Medal is awarded for “selfless, outstanding and sustained contributions to the boating and maritime community in NSW”.

Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Roads, Maritime and Transport Kevin Anderson MP said, “Chris is a most worthy recipient of the Maritime Medal and I am proud to see he has been recognised today.  His commitment to universal maritime design for the disabled is second to none. Because of Chris’s work, people now have the ability to sail in a dignified manner and in vessels designed to meet their needs.”

The Maritime Medal was presented to Chris by the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, Melinda Pavey.

In Chris’ acceptance speech he explained, “Universal design and inclusion are actually the two sides of the same coin. If you want inclusion you obviously need to use equipment that everyone can use, so the chosen toys need to incorporate elements of universal design. Being accessible is easy, it’s about providing access – whereas inclusion requires a change of heart, where you actually make people from diverse backgrounds feel welcome.”

Read Chris’ full speech HERE.