Sports Volunteers Honoured

A large crowd of sports enthusiasts gathered at the Brackendale Restaurant on Saturday to honour the efforts of local sports volunteers.

 The Wirksworth & District Community Sports Group had invited local clubs to nominate the back room people who make their club tick and there were twelve nominees.

David Joy, Director of Derbyshire Sport presented the certificates of merit and praised the many volunteers who make things happen in local sport: they keep the accounts, write the letters, fill in the forms, raise money, tend the grounds, organise events, coach young players, umpire and referee matches. They were all present at a happy evening of sporting celebration. Amazingly the twelve recipients could muster a total of 250 years of service to sport in the Dales.

Jackie Howard, Chair of the Sports Group, who organised the gathering, was delighted at the enthusiastic support from the sporting community.

‘Too often we take for granted those who do the boring, but essential jobs in sport. Tonight we were able to say thank you and recognise some people who have devoted their energies wholeheartedly over many years to running sport in this area.’

Recipients of the community sports award were: Sue Hickmore (Baileans); Jane Whitworth (Baileans); Brian Radford (Wirksworth Memorial Bowls Club); Chris Loeber (Matlock Rugby Club); Julia Julian (Wirksworth Town FC); Tony Gregory (Cromford Table Tennis Club); Linda Thompson ( Wirksworth CC); Bill Halstead ( Matlock Rugby Club); Julia Cooke (Wirksworth Netball); Heath Roberts (Derwent Hockey Club); Dave Smith (Wirksworth Colts); John Thompson ( Wirksworth Sports Group).

Press Release from Roy Pearce (01629/822817)