WEYMOUTH’S Bryony Shaw has been announced as one of the first ambassadors for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation.

She will be joined by fellow Olympians Paul Goodison and Stevie Morrison.

The trio competed alongside Andrew as members of Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games sailing events in Weymouth and POtrland.

The Ambassadors were announced by Sir Ben Ainslie at the London Boat Show at Excel yesterday on the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation stand.

The Ambassadors will be supporting the work of The Foundation by inspiring the next generation and one of the activities they we be involved with will be visiting schools to encourage children to realize what opportunities there are in sport and what benefits there are of getting involved in sporting activities.

The Ambassador’s will become great role models to the communities they will visit and so young people will have Olympians they can look up to. The Foundation will be announcing a number of other ambassadors and details of our plans over the coming months.

Bryony said: “Andrew had the ability to inspire you like no one else and always had time to give advice in his own unique way.

“We were paired as buddies for London 2012 so we had each other’s back, he was always a good listener. I’m delighted to be an ambassador towards his legacy and keep his spirit alive.”

Paul Goodison, added: “I’m delighted to be involved in keeping Andrews spirit alive, he was not just a best friend but the guy I always reached out to for help and advice.

“He always had the answers and made everything so obvious that it seemed stupid to have even questioned it.

“I am looking forward to help support and guide young sailors in a way that Andrew inspired and helped so many people in his life. It’s a real honour to be involved with the foundation and help inspire a younger generation.”

Stevie Morrison, said “Over the course of my 49’er Olympic campaigns Bart was always the go to guy whenever you needed some advice and input into any aspects of your sailing.

“A pat on the back before a big day of racing would fire you up and send you off ready for battle.

“I hope by being involved with the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, I can just in a small way make kids new to the sport be as excited by what it has to offer, as Bart would always do for the Olympic Team”.

The Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation is a national charity that encourages young people to get into sailing and watersports. Andrew Simpson, gold and silver Olympic medallist and America’s Cup professional, tragically lost his life in a training accident in May 2013. Inspiring the next generation was something Andrew was extremely passionate about and so to honour his life and legacy Sir Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy OBE and Andrew’s wife Leah Founded the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation