THE SIR Edward Heath Foundation has presented Hampshire’s Royal Southern Yacht Club with a half model of the ex- Prime Minister and former Salisbury resident’s prizewinning yacht.

A model of Morning Cloud II was presented to the club in Hamble-le-Rice by the foundation in honour of the central role the club played in his sailing career.

Commodore David Mead accepted the award from Colonel Gordon MacDougall, a trustee of the foundation, on behalf of the club.

The ex-Prime Minister was a keen sailor and is the only serving British Prime Minister to have won a major sporting event. In 1971 he led a crew to success in the now-defunct Admiral’s Cup, which was considered the unofficial world cup of off-shore sailing at the time.

He and his crew planned their Admiral’s Cupwinning strategy from the club and Heath made a pledge to honour the club at a speech there in 2004.

Col MacDougall said: “Sailing was one of the central pleasures and pastimes of Sir Edward’s life.

“Coming late to the sport, his leadership qualities, strong competitive instincts and sense of strategy came to the fore.

“The Southern was central to his success and the trustees and the Friends of Arundells are delighted to have worked together in restoring the relationship with the club.”