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Highfields Sports Leadership Academy receives The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service

In the last academic year alone members have clocked up more than 3,500 voluntary hours, helping to lead sports activities in schools and clubs, and this has been recognised with the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK for outstanding work done in local communities.

His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent, visited Highfields School in Matlock to present the Sports Leadership Academy with award, and during the visit he met civic dignitaries, school govenors and staff including Headteacher Dr Ramsey Tetlow and Jayne Allen, School Sports Co-ordinator and Head of Highfields Sports Leadership Academy.

His Royal Highness also toured the Sports Academy, meeting Sports Leaders from the school on the tennis courts working with students from St Joseph’s RC Primary School, Matlock. 

Young Sports Ambassadors from Castle View Primary School, St Giles Primary School, Winster Primary School, Tansley Primary School, Holy Trinity Primary School and South Darley Primary School lined the route taken by The Duke, and he then watched Sports Leadership activities in the Sports Hall before meeting a group of dance leaders.

The formal award ceremony took place in the School’s main hall, with Jayne Allen receiving the award for voluntary service from The Duke on behalf of the academy in front of an invited audience which included past and present members of the sports leadership academy, representatives from Sports Leaders UK, Youth Sport Trust and Derbyshire Sport.

Olympic badminton player Donna Kellogg also presented certificates to all members of the academy.

Ramsey Tetlow said: “It was been a super day for Highfields School and one the memory of which we will treasure. His Royal Highness was charming, knowledgeable about the school and very interested in what the students were doing.

“He talked to a huge number of students, sports leaders past and present and primary school pupils, and staff. After presenting the award he spoke about its significance, saying he could not recall another school receiving this award.  The students were thrilled and the atmosphere throughout the day was fantastic.”