East Durham and Sedgefield Local Sport and Physical Activity Awards

The County Durham Sport and Physical Activity Awards celebrate unsung sports stars, coaches, clubs and schools. This page contains the results for the East Durham and Sedgefield area.

Josh has been unbeaten in England for the last 18 months and has conceded very few points in the ring. He is currently ranked no 1 in England and is 25 points clear of rank number 2. He has gained an automatic place to compete in the Europeans later this year as he medalled in the presidents cup earlier this year. Team GB have also selected him as number one player to go and compete in the Europeans. Josh is lovely, polite young man and deserves all the success he has achieved.

Contribution to Sport

This award is for an individual who has achieved success at county level or above through competing, coaching or volunteering in sport or made a significant difference to individuals or groups through their contribution to sport in County Durham. This person will be seen as a role model within their sport or community.

The winner is... John Purvis

John joined Aycliffe Archery Club 23 years ago in 1993. He has won many archery competitions at county and national level. He became the UK's National Clout champion in 1996 and 1998. He went on to break both single and double clout national records in 1997 and always placed in the top three archers. At a county level he was Durham and Northumberland Archery Association's Clout Champion for six consecutive years from 1996-2002; the records he set in 1997 still stand today.

In 2002 John achieved the respected rank of 'Master Bowman' no mean feat involving many hours practicing and competing all over the UK. John still competes and this year won the Hartlepool Amalgamation Championships beating some excellent younger senior archers.

In 2010 John began sharing his experience by becoming a successful coach, teaching juniors as young as 12, able bodied and disabled senior archers to win county wide competitions in their own right. One of his protégées won archery gold at the British Transplant games in 2015.

The club has continued to grow with John taking over as Club Secretary in 2011. Despite working full time and raising a young family John has spent all of his free time volunteering: coaching over 100 new archers, gaining £1,000s in successful funding bids, coordinating social nights, ensuring important health and safety regulations are followed and running the club's social media pages.

John is modest and finds praise difficult to accept however his positivity and selflessness truly deserves formal recognition.

Contribution to Physical Activity

This award is for an individual or group that has made a significant difference in County Durham through demonstrating the positive impact physical activity can have on people's lives. They will be seen as a role model for their contribution within their community.

The winner is... Trimdon Community Fitness Suite

The fitness suite was established in the summer of 2015, and with support the volunteers have stepped up to the challenge of making it a real local success. To date the volunteer team has collectively contributed over 1500 volunteering hours. Volunteers have undertaken appropriate training to run the gym that now has 333 members ranging from 11-80 years old.

The enthusiasm and dedication from all involved has made the project a success and embedded the gym in the local community.

Physical Activity Achievement of the Year

This award is for an individual or group that has achieved a specific goal through leading an active lifestyle whilst facing personal barriers and challenges. They will be seen as an inspiration to others in overcoming their difficulties and achieving their results.

The winner is... Peterlee Ladies Running Club

Peterlee Ladies Running Club was established in 2011 by Peterlee Town Council and members range in age from 18 to 50+. This year 18 ladies took part and succeeded in fulfilling their personal running goals. 15 ladies took part in the Manchester Marathon, 2 ladies completed the London Marathon, and 1 lady took part in the Blackpool Marathon. Many of the ladies haven't been running for long so these distances were huge achievements. The members faced and overcame a number of barriers during their training including injuries, working full time and childcare commitments. They braved poor weather conditions to complete their training and went through a rollercoaster of emotions including self-doubt and low self-confidence, and along the way raised a lot of money for a range of charities. Their coach, Colin Hancock, was a constant support throughout and they feel they couldn't have done it without him.

Coach of the Year

The Coach of the Year award is for an individual who has demonstrated their commitment and passion through coaching in sport, seen as an inspiration within their role as a coach and having made a positive impact on those they have coached. This particular category had one of the most nominees and was extremely hard to judge.

The winner is... Brittainy Fuller

Over the last year, Brittainy has dealt with the loss of her mother, who was a founding member and director of the club, assuming the role of Head Coach in the process and working tirelessly for club members to ensure that they continue to receive the highest level of coaching as possible to continue this legacy.

When the club was reduced from 2 head coaches to leave her as the only remaining senior figure, Brittainy again grasped this with enthusiasm and continued to battle all challenges and over the last 12 months has led a team of 15 coaches/helpers and a club with around 200 members achieve success at local, regional and National level, with a partnership she coached, achieving Gold medals and British champions.

Although only 25 years old, Brittainy's dream was to have a dedicated gymnastic facility and in July this year after working with the council for 9 months developing business plans she signed the lease and moved into the premises enabling the club to grow and expand even more.

Young Coach of the Year

This award is for a young individual who has demonstrated their commitment and passion through coaching in sport. This young person will be seen as an inspiration within their role as a coach and have made a positive impact on those they have coached.

The winner is... Chloe Jade Crawford

Chloe has been assisting and coaching individuals in martial arts over the past four years. She has developed young martial artists into confident and positive young individuals and has even developed them into national and world class competitors.

Chloe is currently a multiple world champion in martial arts and is passionate about how martial arts can increase self-esteem and promote a positive outlook for communities and young people. Currently she has set up a national team of young competitors from around the UK and Scotland, the youngest being 6 years old. Chloe dedicates her time to her students and team and fully supports them through their martial arts journey, which includes travelling up and down the country to coach and instruct them and also delivers Skype sessions to help them grow in their skills. Her aim is to develop the confidence and ability of children through martial arts and to encourage more children to be active in their everyday life, while instilling basic life skills and development.

Chloe is a dedicated and passionate individual when it comes to passing on her skills and enthusiasm. This has been shown through her students and team who have been attending national and world championships and whom which have followed in Chloe's footsteps and taken medal placings consistently along with earning positions on the England team and representing the UK this year in Spain.

Primary School Contribution to Physical Education (PE) and School Sport

This award is for a primary that has demonstrated a positive impact on the community through sport, shows high quality and innovation in the delivery of PE and/or displays a commitment to developing opportunities for pupils through school teams, including involvement in the School Games.

The winner is... Cotsford Junior School

It's been a great year for Cotsford Junior School in Peterlee!

Children have taken part in 17 different sports, within school at Level 1. The school have entered, and taken part in 22 Level 2 games, through Easington School Sports Partnership.

The school introduced two new sports to the curriculum, this year; new age kurling and boccia -and it is the consensus amongst teaching staff, that this has had a very positive impact upon pupil confidence and esteem.

In the last year Cotsford have created strong links with eight local sports clubs, feeding pupils into their junior sections.

The school has made great gains this year with school swimming. We wish to extend this further and have signed up to the ASA School Swimming Charter.

As a school we are actively involved in a number of partnership programmes contributing not only to higher quality PE and school sport, but also offers a holistic approach to getting pupils and their families more active. Programmes we run at the school include, several SAFC Foundation of Light programmes, My Sporting Chance, County Durham Sport Young Ambassador Peer Leaders, Living Streets - Walk to School, PE and School Sport Apprentice Scheme and the Chris Cook Inspire Project.

Secondary School Contribution to Physical Education (PE) and School Sport

This award is for a school that has demonstrated a positive impact on the community, shows high quality and innovation in the delivery of PE and/or displays a commitment to developing opportunities for pupils through school teams, including involvement in the School Games.

St. Bede's RC Comprehensive School and Byron College The winner is... St Bede's RC Comprehensive School and Byron College

This year St Bede's have definitely reached new levels when it comes to participation and achievement.

A new 'girls active' group for pupils in years 7, 8 and 9 has resulted in attendance to extra-curricular clubs increasing tremendously. The school has now started a campaign targeted at the boys. This too has seen huge numbers of boys attending extra-curricular clubs. KS3 is currently 83% participation in extra-curricular clubs with the whole school standing at 55%.

St Bede's has over 90 young leaders participating in the L1 Sports Leader's course, where pupils plan and host the cluster primary competitions. In turn 10 students have passed their young netball umpires course. In addition a year 11 student runs the school dance club and a year 10 student coaches the girls football team.

The U13 girl's football teams were runners up in the County Cup final. They represented Hartlepool in the Northern finals and were 3rd overall. They won the Premier League school trophy played at Goodison Park, representing Sunderland AFC beating a host of other Premier League schools representatives on the way. Over 14,000 young footballers from more than 1,700 schools took part in this year's tournament, with 320 taking to the pitch at Goodison Park.

A new house system has supported pupils attending extra-curricular clubs, developing a fantastic healthy desire to achieve and enjoy school sport. The house system has sports captains who pick house teams, organise events, run girls/boys active sessions, lead assemblies and much more. This year they have organised the 'pink run' for the girls and 'miles for men' for the boys to raise money for cancer.

The school have had great success with county, regional and national achievements by students across a year groups.

Volunteer of the Year

This award is for an individual who works behind the scenes in a sports club or community group and where their role will be vital and without them the club or group would not be the same.

The winner is... Keith Charlton

Keith is always available and keen to offer support and volunteer at any sporting event and volunteers more than 30 hours a month to sport and physical activity.

He is an official starter at County Cross Country, County Athletics, County Swimming and the School Games.

Within the school sector Keith volunteers at all Easington School Sport Partnership competitions and festivals - both Primary and Secondary. He also referees at Rugby, Football and is a judge at the Gymnastic festival.

Keith also helps at school during Sports Days, drives the bus to transport children to various venues for clubs and activities and has even been known to step in as Santa Claus! Staff Golf sporting competitions between various schools are also regularly organised by Keith (as well as social events!)

As well as helping within the East Durham area and for the local School Sport Partnership, Keith also volunteers at the Sedgefield Park Run every Saturday morning and annual The Durham Dash.

Sporting wise, Keith also supports the local community and local teams, watching and supporting Sedgefield Cricket and Tennis club - even playing in the Charity Cricket matches himself! Keith is an invaluable asset to the East Durham Area and the wider County Durham sporting community.

Young Volunteer of the Year

This award is for a young individual who works behind the scenes in a sports club or community group and where their role will be vital and without them the club or group would not be the same.

The winner is... Megan Atkinson

Megan is part of the Easington SSP Leadership Academy and since September 2015 has accrued 256 voluntary hours.

She is a member of Peterlee ASC and has undertaken 4 hours each week of voluntary work for the Club this year. She assists in teaching our small pool classes, helping the children to learn to swim. She gets in the water with them, demonstrates techniques that the teacher wants the children to try, supports the children and generally helps in any way she can. Megan is absolutely brilliant with the children and they love her to bits.

Megan has become the "right hand man" to the Head Coach of the Club - she gets out the equipment needed for each session, organises for the starting blocks to be put out and clears everything away at the end. She is never asked to do this, she just does it.

In addition to the above, she has undertaken her Swimming Timekeepers qualification, which can involve up to 7 hours per day officiating at competitions. Megan has done this at least 6 - 8 weekends this year, even officiating at the prestigious Northumberland and Durham Championships. She has also completed her Judge 1 qualification for swimming officials.

As well as all the swimming volunteer work that Megan has done, every Monday straight from school, she assists the head coach of Peterlee Gymnastics Club in their training.

Megan has Achondroplasia (dwarfism) but she does not let this hinder her in any way in her volunteering roles. She is an inspiration to us all with her cheerfulness, enthusiasm, determination and ability to relate to all no matter what their age. I cannot wait for her to undertake her Level 1 teaching/coaching certificate this coming December as there will definitely be a role for her on the coaching staff of Peterlee ASC. She deserves the highest praise for all that she undertakes.

Sports Club of the Year

This award is for a club that has demonstrated commitment and passion to sport through the activities and opportunities they provide for their members.

The winner is... Spennymoor Taekwondo Academy

Spennymoor Taekwondo Academy has been established for over 30 years and continues to develop and expand programmes so all young people in the community have an opportunity to take part.

Instructors have worked very hard to introduce Taekwondo to children as young as 3 with the Dinky Dragon programme. The programme has been delivered in 30 schools in the Sedgefield School Sports Partnership with many of the children attending club sessions out of school.

We run classes with DADLAG on a weekly basis where children who have disabilities can train in their own session, and in time move into our mainstream classes. A great success story of this partnership is a student who came through DADLAG with Down Syndrome who now trains three times a week and this year has achieved her black belt.

This year Spennymoor has created more black belts with 14 students obtaining their black belts or above with 25 new black belts or above in the Chi organisation. At our most recent Kup grade promotion test 4 students achieved the best of grade trophy and 29 students from the academy successfully achieved their next grade/belt.

This year we have one player full time on the GB squad who medalled gold in the Austria open. We have a cadet who will be representing team GB in the cadet Europeans later this year. We have many other squad members from Spennymoor achieving at a novice, national and international level and all medalling at their current level. Spennymoor also has a student representing team GB with Poomsae which is a variation on Taekwondo but still a national event.

We have worked with our NGB British Taekwondo to bring the very first black belt promotion test by British Taekwondo to Spennymoor Leisure Centre on June 16.

Junior Sports Club of the Year

This award is for a club that has demonstrated commitment and passion to sport through the activities and opportunities they provide for their junior members.

Sedgefield Cricket Club Junior Section The winner is... Sedgefield Cricket Club - Junior Section

Sedgefield Cricket Club exists to provide all members of the community with the facilities and organisational support with the chance to play cricket. The junior club development is supported by a team of dedicated coaches and volunteers whose main aim is to share enjoyment of cricket for children and young people; encourage and nurture new talent; and promote a sense of team spirit and community.

This year the junior section of the cricket club has experienced significant growth in its junior membership with over 100 children under the ages of 17 now involved in playing cricket for the club. The club has also supported and encouraged the participation of women/girls paying cricket and now has both under 11 and under 9 girls' teams.

Sedgefield Junior Cricket section offers to the young people of Sedgefield and surrounding communities the ability to access cricket coaching including both indoor and outdoor cricket training sessions and holiday summer camps to enjoy the game of cricket - which has been totally supported by volunteers including coaches resulting in some outstanding achievements.

Achievements in the 2016 season included Boys U15 Durham County Champions, Boys U15 finalists in the NYACC Chester Cup, Boys U11 semi-finalists in the NYACC, Boys U9 Softball finalists and winning the Girls U11 Gilberts Cup.

Sporting Achievement of the Year

This award is for an individual over 18 that has achieved a specific goal or honour in sport, or produced a notable sporting performance. They will be seen as an inspiration to others through their achievement in sport.

The winner is... East Durham Basketball C Team

The team is made up of U18 players with one senior player acting as player coach. They have been together now for three years entering the Durham Basketball Association Division 3 League which is aimed at development squads as well as senior teams.

Last year the team finished as runners up in both the league and the cup. The team mentally toughened up this season and despite a real battle with two other teams the team triumphed winning the last game of the season in a winner takes all game against a team from Middlesbrough, who had beaten them by 1 point away from home so they knew they had to win by more than one to win the title.

They were not finished as they then had to play the same team in the Cup Final the following Sunday in Sunderland. Despite being behind for most of the first half it was easy to motivate the players by reminding them how tough it had been last year and did they want to go out with a whimper or as Double Winners in the record books forever. Yes you guessed a commanding second half saw the side pull together play well as a team and win the Cup to complete the double.

Hard work and dedication throughout the season in training, and playing to players strengths helped guide the team to success.

Young Sporting Achievement of the Year

This award is for a young individual or group that has achieved a specific goal or honour in sport, or produced a notable sporting performance. They will be seen as an inspiration to others through their achievement in sport. This was yet another category with a high number of nominations and extremely difficult for the panel to judge and pick a winner.

The winner is... Joshua Long

Joshua has been training in Taekwondo for five years and from the moment he stepped into the gym we knew he had a natural talent for the sport. He is a 2nd Dan blackbelt and has been successful in the sport side of Taekwondo for a number of years with great success. He is high motivated and shows extreme dedication.

His achievements this year include:

Gold British Nationals Sep 2015 Gold Yorkshire Open Oct 2015 Commonwealth bronze Nov 15 Silver Dutch Open a g1 ranking event Gold Yorkshire Open April 16 Bronze presidents cup g2 ranking event April 2016 Gold dome Open June 2016 Gold dome June 2016 Gold NTC July 2016