Night of celebration at Shropshire's Energize awards - in pictures
The hard working people who dedicate their time to getting Shropshire fit and active have been honoured at a glittering awards night.
The 11th annual Energize Awards were held at the Telford Hotel &Golf resort in Telford.
The event, organised by county sports partnership Energize, celebrates the achievements of community projects, workplaces, schools, volunteers and inspirational leaders across the county.
Guest of honour was Mel Clarke, a two-time Paralympic medallist who won archery bronze in Beijing 2008, followed by silver at London 2012.
Mel chatted about her career, before helping with the awards presentations.
She told how she had overcome major health problems to reach the top, and now spent time delivering motivational messages to Shropshire schoolchildren, while training for the Tokyo 2020 games.
Master of ceremonies Carl Jones told the audience: “This event is all about celebrating the people and groups who are making it possible for local people to take part in sports and activities across Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin, and whose efforts are literally changing people’s lives.
“It’s also to reward the clubs and groups, the instructors and coaches, the volunteers who give up so much of their free time to work tirelessly behind the scenes – as well as the venues, workplaces, support organisations, schools and community facilities being increasingly innovative in the ways they encourage us to be more active.”
The awards were backed by a host of big-name organisations including the Shropshire Star, BBC Shropshire, Sport England, Pleydell Smithyman, Teme Leisure, Global Freight, Furrows, Start Technology, Nick Jones Wealth Planning, GS & PA Reeves Limited, Yarrington, and the Wenlock Olympian Society.
This year there were a series of new awards, including an Active Spaces and Places prize for or an open space, park, green space, woodland, community centre, or leisure facility which is a real community asset.
There was also a new Local Hero award for a person who gives up their free time to help others – either as an activity instructor, club fundraiser, or groundkeeper.
Newport and Market Drayton Advertiser editor Peter Kitchen was on hand to present an award to young volunteer Ashleigh Sale.
He said: "It was a really inspiring evening where we were able to see some of the good work going on in sport around the county.
"There is so much to celebrate in Shropshire and it was an honour to be part of the awards.
"The awards are a fantastic celebration of what is happening behind the scenes in the county and I hope they continue for many years to come.
David Sherratt, chairman of the Energize board, said: “It’s not just the winners and runners-up we celebrate at an event like this. We also salute all of those who have been nominated, together with the wider community; a significant proportion of which is voluntary.”
Five of the winners now go through to represent Shropshire at the West Midlands community sport finals, being held in Birmingham on December 7.
They include Kathryn Stanworth who picked up the Power of Sport Award, Sadie Craig who won the Aspiring Talent Award, Rachael Swinnerton of CheerForce Ten who was named Inspirational Activity Leader.
Also heading to Birmingham are Elite Dance Studios which won the Actively Changing Lives Award for an Activity Provider and Breaking Chains Cycling Club which picked up the Small Community Project of the Year Award.
And the winners are...
A host of different groups and organisations were rewarded for their dedication and work. Here are the main award winners.
LOCAL HERO AWARD: Kieran Edwards: Chairman of Wrekin Riders BMX Club, instrumental in its move to a new £250,000 track in Dawley. He passed up the opportunity of a full time 9-5 job so he could commit himself to the club.
SMALL COMMUNITY PROJECT: Breaking Chains Cycling Club: A new weekly cycling group, part of the ‘A Better Tomorrow’ project which helps recovering addicts. It started with one house and one client but has helped more than 100 people in the past three years
INSPIRATIONAL ACTIVITY LEADER: Rachael Swinnerton: Started the Cheerforce Ten cheerleading academy in Telford from scratch, six years ago, and in the last six years it has gone from strength to strength. It now has 150 athletes in Shropshire – and a further 120 at a second site in Carlisle.
ASPIRING TALENT: Sadie Craig: Made her debut, aged 14, earlier this year, playing international football for Northern Ireland – in the Under 17 team. An all round sporting star, she has also won several athletics titles – those who know her say she simply refuses to quit
YOUNG VOLUNTEER: Ashleigh Sale: Has blossomed since starting taking classes at Elite Dance in Shrewsbury, in 2015. In the past year, she has taken leading roles, both within routines and as a motivator and volunteer at events like the Summer Youth Volunteer Programme.
ACTIVE SPACES AND PLACES: Wrekin Riders BMX Race Club: Started as a small club based at a pump track, but now has national standard competition facilities – and will host two rounds of the 2018 British BMX Series event, which will attract around 3,000 people.
POWER OF SPORT AWARD: Kathryn Stanworth: Transformed her life to become a West Midlands boxing champion, through the Bright Star academy. She admitted that her life was a mess, and at rock bottom, before committing herself to a dramatic change in lifestyle. Colleagues say they have never seen such determination.
ACTIVE SCHOOL: Idsall School, Shifnal: A leading light in the county’s school games, and has active links with 14 local sports and community clubs. It ran the Sky Sports Living For Sport programme last year, targeted at helping disadvantaged pupils and those with low self esteem.
ACTIVELY CHANGING LIVES (ACTIVITY PROVIDER): Elite Dance Studios, Shrewsbury: Launched in 2010 to provide high quality, low-cost sessions for people from disadvantaged backgrounds. People coming from disadvantaged backgrounds are at the heart of what they do.
LARGE COMMUNITY PROJECT: Be Active: This has grown into an established and successful community sports gym and activities programme, providing access to affordable exercise and sporting activity in areas such as Donnington, Malinslee, Dawley and Arleston
ACTIVE WORKPLACE: NHS Telford & Wrekin CCG: Committed to promoting cycling to the workplace by supporting NHS workers to improve or maintain a healthy lifestyle. It regularly surveys staff for their opinions, and has just bought new ‘green gym’ exercise equipment
WILLIAM PENNY BROOKES AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION: Kieran Edwards: Chairman of Wrekin Riders BMX club, described by members as a man who ‘eats, sleeps and breathes BMX’ who wants to inspire young people to enjoy the fresh air, build confidence – and just have fun.
