SPORTING achievements will be celebrated at the Stratford-on-Avon District Sports Awards 2018.
The awards, taking place at Stratford ArtsHouse on Friday January 19, will recognise the success and hard work of sports men and women, teams and volunteers during the past 12 months.
Now in their 16th year, award categories include Senior Sports Person; Junior Sports Person; Senior Para-Sports Person; Junior Para-Sports Person; Senior Team; Junior Team; Senior Para-Sports Team; Junior Para-Sports Team; Coach or PE Teacher; Press Correspondent; Volunteer and Service to Sport.
We turn the spotlight on those nominated for the Volunteer Award, and we will shortly highlight those in the running for the Services to Sport Award.
Volunteer Award
Marianne Botterill – Stratford Town Girls FC Juniors – Marianne has assisted in training the club’s juniors, attending all matches and acting as assistant manager. She is enthusiastic, encouraging and a wonderful role model to the girls she coaches.
Marion Childs – Southam Gymnastics Club – Marion founded the club with Lorna Dixon in January 1997 to enable local children to have greater access to gymnastics classes. She is passionate about and ensuring that local children have the opportunity to experience the sport. Marion is a level 3 coach and not only continues to train gymnasts twice a week but is also busy behind the scenes.
Peter Stephens – FC Stratford – Peter has kept FC Stratford going for a number of years. He continues to put his hand into his pocket to ensure players can enjoy playing football free from expense. Nothing is too much trouble for him. The players at FC Stratford do not get paid, but they play because of the work Peter puts in.
Tom Milward – FC Stratford – Tom is the assistant manager at FC Stratford. He also looks after the club website, takes photographs on match days and during training sessions, and edits match highlights that he films via his own GoPro camera. Tom contacts all players about training and games, and will arrive four hours before kick-off on match days to lay out kit, which he has taken home to wash after the previous match.
Anne Prior – Wellesbourne Sport & Community Centre – Anne’s contribution to the new Wellesbourne Sports & Community Centre (WSCC), which opened in January 2017, has been outstanding. In 2014 Anne volunteered to chair the council committee tasked with delivering a sports centre, which public consultation had shown was a priority for villagers. Since then she has worked tirelessly on the project, driving it forward and leading the team of professionals, councillors and volunteers who have made it happen.
Debbie Everard – Stratford-upon-Avon School – Debbie has played an invaluable role in coaching, leading and umpiring netball at Stratford School as a volunteer. Debbie has helped engage, enthuse and inspire young netball players and enabled the school. The number of participants in comparison to last year has more than doubled, and has helped lead year 7s, 8s, 10s and 11s to become Warwickshire tournament champions.
