Sport ‘lockdown heroes’ in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire to be celebrated at awards hosted by Olympian Louis Smith

The Living Sport Virtual Sports Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of talented sports people, the significant contribution made by coaches and volunteers and the organisations and clubs which are using sport and physical activity to make a positive impact on people’s lives across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic this year’s awards are being held virtually and will be live-streamed on the Living Sport Facebook page on Thursday, December 3 from 7pm.

The event will be hosted by former Olympic gymnast and Strictly Come Dancing winner Louis Smith.

More than 7,000 votes were cast in the public vote and, combined with the assessment of the judging panel, the finalists in each category have been chosen. They are:

Coach of the Year Award – sponsored by Anglia Ruskin University:

Ben Yeomans, Trumpington Football Club

Chloe Smith, Willingham Wolves Football Club

Jones De Sousa, Youth Dreams Project

Community Club of the Year (Amateur) Award – sponsored by Lifeplus:

Cottenham United Colts Football Club

March Bears Rugby Club

Spiral Gymnastics Club

Community Volunteer of the Year Award – sponsored by Bidwells:

Edwin Fey, March Bears Rugby Club

Jane Reeson, Over Cricket Club

Magdalena Dawczak, Freelance Fitness Instructor

Mark Sanderson, Cambridge City Hockey Club

Vicky Bennett, Chatteris Town Football Club

Jonnie Peacock Award – sponsored by Azets:

Gemma Stevenson, Wheelchair Tennis and Adaptive Abilities Cheerleading

Rick Rodgers, Cheerleading

Stuie Delf, Running

Matthew Warn Power of Sport Award:

Cambridge United Community Trust

Power2Inspire and Oak Activities

Youth Dreams Project

Services to Sport Award:

Clinton Wedderburn, Basketball Coach

Ian Darler, Cambridge United Football club

John Willis, Power2Inspire

Workplace of the Year Award – sponsored by Everyone Health:

Arm

East Anglian Air Ambulance

EBCam

Young Community Volunteer of the Year Award – sponsored by Nene Park Trust:

Corey Howard

Ella Hampton

Lenni Lewis

Living Sport aims to improve the health, happiness and wellbeing of the people of Peterborough and Cambridgeshire by inspiring them to get active.

Chief Executive Simon Fairhall said: “After a truly extraordinary year we felt it was even more important to shine a light on the incredible accomplishments many have achieved in such difficult circumstances.

“We are delighted with the huge amount of nominations we received and our judges were very impressed by the high quality of all the applications in the eight categories.

“Even though this year we cannot get together as we would normally do it is inspiring that we can still celebrate the achievements of the region and give credit to those who have a story that deserves to be told. Congratulations and best of luck to all those shortlisted.”

This year the charity has adapted the award categories to reflect the little face-to-face sport and physical activity taking place.

The focus is on ‘lockdown heroes’ who have gone above and beyond, showing compassion, generosity and creativity within the sport and physical activity community.

The judging panel consists of former Paralympic athlete Dr Dan Gordan, education consultant Carol Gronow, sports journalist and presenter Steve Jackson and Living Sport relationship manager Rebecca Evans.

The headline sponsor for the event is Central England Co-operative.

To find out more about the awards, visit: https://www.livingsport.co.uk/sportsawards.