Check out the video profiling the winners.
CCPR's Sports Club of the Year Awards recognise sports clubs that have made an outstanding contribution within their community in association with the Foundation for Sport and the Arts (FSA) and runningsports. The awards ceremony, held 5 May, 2009 in Tower Hill, London, celebrated six finalists who all demonstrated exceptional commitment and dedication to making sports accessible and fun for all. The winners were awarded cash prizes between £1,000 and £6,000.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, CCPR chief executive Tim Lamb said:
"The Sports Club of the Year award is something that CCPR is proud to present to our community sports clubs. It is humbling and inspiring to see the work that volunteers and staff do, dedicating their time and energy to encouraging participation in sport, whatever the level. It is particularly admirable to see the efforts and successes that are achieved in these straightened economic times, and CCPR is honoured to celebrate these achievements tonight."
1st place – Richmond Volleyball
The club itself is run efficiently and effectively by volunteers who give countless hours of their time to create opportunities for the local community to play, volunteer, coach, officiate and most importantly enjoy the sport of volleyball. As a direct result of their efforts, volleyball is now well established as a major sport on the PE agenda for 24 secondary schools, across 3 boroughs. In total, over 400 people regularly play volleyball in the community in the school clubs, South London Volleyball League, junior and students teams, regional and NVL team. In addition, they have introduced sitting volleyball and made it available through seven free sessions with quality coaching at three venues in two local boroughs.
2nd place – Times Amateur Boxing Club
As a community club, the Times Amateur Boxing Club engage with all sectors of the community, including BME groups, womens groups, socially excluded groups, its local education authority and the police. On an extremely tight budget that is predominantly bought in through fundraising, Times ABC manages to inspire hundreds of young people per year to take part in boxing, football and keep fit. The club are run by a small team of dedicated volunteers who deserve the recognition that amateur sports clubs often do not receive. Located in one of the most deprived wards and boroughs in London, Times are an example of how hard work, perseverance and inspiration can unite an often segregated community.
2nd place – Viking Kayak Club
Viking Kayak Club has managed to promote the sport both as a recreational activity and up to competitive level. A dedicated team of volunteers and coaches have ensured that paddlesport is open and accessible to anyone and everyone who would like to take part in the sport. Viking initiated and developed Paddle Bedford, a network linking schools, centres and clubs participating in paddlesport – the emphasis being ‘club as the hub’. This provides a direct pathway between schools and the club as participants and volunteers. Their work with the local authority has ensured that the club plays an important role in the local community.
3rd place - Sutton Sting Ice Hockey Club
Sutton Sting has grown in stature, expertise and achievement in a very short space of time, establishing systems and procedures for teams and volunteers to provide first class opportunities for the people of Ashfield.The club uses ice hockey as a vehicule encourage and promote engagement in sport from an early age. From a ‘mums, get off their bums’ to ‘fat dads hockey sessions’ the club has showed great commitment to engaging with the local community.In addition, the club has formed a partnership with a local community school in order to bring lunchtime ice hockey taster sessions to the pupils.
3rd place – Luton Town Hockey Club
Luton Town HC has an outstanding structure and their engagement with the wider community is extremely strong, detailed and valued in many respects.Offering opportunities for people of all ages and background to get involved with the club, not necessarily in playing or officiating in hockey but in a wider sense of voluntary opportunities, club management and day to day duties the clubs ensures that their is a platform for opportunity and development for everyone.They plan to further expand their schools coaching as well as increasing the number of Asian and black girls involved in hockey in Luton.
3rd place – Inverness Blitz Academy of American Football
Over the last twelve months this club excelled in exhibiting many examples of reducing barriers and creating opportunities for its volunteers, coaches, participants and non-participants. There is a lack of PE in primary schools in the Inverness and surrounding area with some classes not even getting PE once a week. The Blitz works with primary schools to delivery 5-6 weeks blocks in school time.This provides programmed and structured physical activity where before there was a lack or nothing at all. Blitz has become a stand-out club in their area and the wider American Football community.
