AWARDS: Mid Cheshire wins four prizes (From Northwich Guardian)

Mid Cheshire representatives shine at fourth annual Cheshire West and Chester Sports Awards

10:56pm Saturday 16th March 2013 in Sport By Andrew Simpson, Senior Sports Writer

MID Cheshire representatives were winners in a clutch of categories at the fourth annual Cheshire West and Chester Sports Awards.

More than 160 people were at Winsford Lifestyle Centre for the ceremony – the biggest to date – which included a tribute to people from the county who helped to make last summer’s Olympic Games a success.

Kingsmead Primary School was picked as the inaugural School of the Year after almost all of its pupils represented it at a competition during 2012.

The Northwich school organises extracurricular activities each week, some aimed at those pupils who do not normally take part in sport or physical activity.

Kingsmead Olympic Week began with an opening ceremony before closing later with medals awarded to those children that best demonstrated values closely associated to the games.

“I listened to the achievements of all the nominees and continue to be overwhelmed by the talent and commitment that goes into making sport happen in our communities,” said Clr Stuart Parker, executive group member for culture and recreation.

“Cheshire West and Chester Council considers sport and physical activity to be central to the wellbeing of our local communities and it was fitting to recognise the people and organisations that make it happen.”

Laura Hudson, who runs Gymnastics and Dance 4 Cheshire, scooped the Volunteer of the Year award after growing the club to almost 100 members inside its first year.

The club, which hosts sessions in Northwich and Winsford, achieved GymMark status – which hails it as an example for others to follow – from governing body British Gymnastics.

There was recognition too for Vale Royal School Sport Partnership, which was presented with an Embrace the Games prize for its work engaging pupils in the run-up to the Olympics.

More than 70% of children, at both primary and secondary schools, took part in an inter-school competition or festival linked to London 2012.

That activity culminated in some 3,500 children in Vale Royal competing in an inaugural School Games competition during National School Sport Week.

Torch bearer Andrew Jackson, a former pupil at St Nicholas RC High School, won the Young Volunteer of the Year award to acknowledge his work with the school sport partnership.

The teenager, now an undergraduate student at Leeds Metropolitan University, was a Young Ambassador for the partnership, helping to plan and deliver activities and competition for children at schools in Vale Royal.

Paralympics gold medal winner Dame Sarah Storey presented the nine awards on the night, co-hosted by Sport Cheshire.

She said: “It’s great to celebrate the achievements of people who give so much to create opportunities for others to play sport.”

The prize-winners now go on to represent the borough in the Cheshire and Warrington Sports Awards in Warrington next month.

Cheshire West and Chester Sports Awards
Winners
School of the Year, Kingsmead Primary School

Coach of the Year, Michael King (Deva Handball Club)

Volunteer of the Year, Laura Hudson (Gymnastics and Dance 4 Cheshire)

Young Volunteer of the Year, Andrew Jackson

Embrace the Games Award, Vale Royal School Sport Partnership

Disabled Sports Achiever of the Year, Billy Bridge

Junior Sports Achiever of the Year, Stephanie Collister

Special Recognition Award, Jon Kelly (Deva Handball Club)

Club of the Year, West Cheshire Athletics Club