A CAMPAIGN has been launched to raise awareness of the achievements of female coaches, leaders and volunteers.

The Tees Valley #PassOnYourPassion has been organised for people to share their passion for sport and physical activity and inspire more people to take part.

This summer there will be a week long campaign taking place across the Tees Valley, starting on Monday, June 5, and organisers will be selecting 20 inspirational women to take part.

And the successful applicants will then be able to choose another female volunteer or coach to take part, bringing the total to 40.

A number of local coaches have already signed up for the selection process for the scheme and are urging others to take part before the closing date on Friday.

Victoria Auton, the group’s coaching development manager, said: “We need your help to identify female coaches, leaders and volunteers in the Tees Valley who are fantastic at motivating and inspiring people of all ages and all abilities to get active. It doesn’t matter how long the coach has been coaching for and whether they are coaching elite athletes or new mothers at a grassroots level as long as they are passionate about what they do.

“You can nominate yourself or nominate someone you think is suitable by clicking on the link below to read more information on the project and access the simple nomination form. All coaches that are nominated will receive a reward to recognise their passion and we will be selecting 20 from the nominations who will be our Pass On Your Passion role models.”

Amongst the volunteers and coaches to sign up for the campaign are tennis, swimming and hockey coaches, alongside run organisers and volunteers.

Rosie Pybus, who coaches tennis to visually impaired people in the North East, said: “I want to pass on the passion and teach other people to play partially-sighted tennis.”

Gail Robinson, a run leader from Stockton, said: “I’m passionate about coaching because of the rewards, benefits and achievement that I see other women getting from coming to groups and achieving their goal.”

And Redcar and Cleveland swimming coach, Barbara Robinson, said: “I have been coaching now for 29 years, I’m as passionate as I ever was and I love to see kids with raw talent and then develop them into the champions that they want to be.”

Alison Innerd, a hockey coach from Middlesbrough, said: “I love to see the players developing themselves but also develop their skills.”

Pip Bell, student coach at Teesside University, said: “I’m passionate about my coaching because I love to see people having fun and enjoying themselves and the gain opportunities that I have had by taking part in sport.”

For further information visit www.teesvalleysport.co.uk/clubs_coaches_volunteers/passonyourpassion or to watch the video on Youtube at https://youtu.be/iB6-C1PvjQI