8:47am Thursday 18th March 2010
By Gavin Havery
DISABLED young people and sports clubs across the region have been honoured for their achievements.
The npower North-East Disability Sports Awards were held at the home of Durham County Cricket Club at the Riverside, in Chesterle- Street, yesterday.
ITV Tyne Tees and Border television news presenter Ian Payne hosted the ceremony.
Patrick Bonner, the regional development manager of the English Federation of Disability Sport, said: “These awards are a fantastic way to celebrate the successes of our disabled sports stars in the North-East.
“The awards are also a great opportunity to acknowledge some of the fantastic work that clubs, organisations and individual volunteers do in the region.
“This is the eighth year npower have sponsored our EFDS sports programme and awards, and we have certainly seen the huge value their contribution has made to disability sport in the North- East.”
Awards were presented by paralympic athlete Hazel Robson, Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Steve Bates, Northern Echo Editor Peter Barron, former equity champion Helen Weston, Mick Davison of the EFDS, Kevin Rodgers, from npower, and Yorkshire and Durham Cricket Club first team coach Geoff Cook.
Seven awards were presented along with three npower bursaries and an EFDS Clubmark Accreditation Certificate.
Keith Wilcox, 58, from Guisborough, east Cleveland, who has managed the Special Olympics Northern Region Team at every National Championships, was given a service to sport award.
He said: “It is a real honour and is recognition of the many hours that have been put in over the past 33 years.
“But it is not just me. There is a whole host of people in the region that allow them to happen. We are like a big family and everyone supports each other.”
Gary Doig, npower’s community investment manager, said the power company was committed to investing £45,000 so that its Active programme can continue for the rest of the year.
He said: “We are passionate about working in the communities in which we operate.
Our continued financial and employee volunteer support enables the provision of events for disabled people through the npower Active programme.
“The awards have become an annual highlight in the calendar and I very much look forward to recognising and rewarding the efforts of the inspiring people who ensure disability sport continues to go from strength to strength across the region.”
Young Female Achiever - Eleni Papadopoulos, from Gateshead, for swimming.
Young Male Achiever - Matthew James Wylie, from Washington, Wearside, for swimming.
Female Personality - Lucy Ellen Gardener, from Stockton, for kayaking.
Male Personality - William Smith, from Prudhoe, Northumberland, for badminton.
Club of the Year and winner of an npower Bursary - The John Spence Tuesday Club in North Tyneside.
npower Partnership Award - The Rugby Football Union.
Clubmark Accreditation Certificate - The Actionnaires in the Tees Valley.
npower bursary - Sue Clarke, from Thornaby, for running the Child Swimming club.
Service to Sport Award - Keith Wilcox, from Guisborough, east Cleveland, who has managed the Special Olympics Northern Region Team at every National Championships.
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