THE ISLAND is being urged to support its unsung sporting heroes with their nominations for the 47th annual Isle of Wight Sports Achievements Awards.
A ceremony to celebrate Island’s sports stars will be held at Newport’s Medina Theatre on March 31 — hosted by former BBC and ITV chief, Lord Michael Grade, of Yarmouth, Island-based Olympic gold medal winning sailor, Shirley Robertson, and Isle of Wight County Press audience and content editor, Lucy Morgan.
The ceremony celebrates the Island’s sporting success stories — recognising outstanding achievement or service from sportsmen and women of all ages in 2021 — although successes in 2020 will be considered.
Categories are listed on the nomination form, but deserving nominations, even if they do not appear to fit into one of them, are also encouraged.
Awards include not only for sports achievers, but for sportsmanship and to coaches, volunteers and schools which have done most to promote local sport.
Nominations will be judged by an independent panel, with all finalists notified at the beginning of February and who will feature in the County Press in the lead up to the awards ceremony.
All nominees will be invited to the event, where the winners will be announced.
Speaking for awards organisers, the Isle of Wight Sports Foundation, a trustee and its chairman, Claire Beasley, is urging our readers to nominate worthy candidates.
“I’m delighted the annual awards will be back, live at the Medina Theatre next March,” she said.
“While our virtual award ceremony last year received a fantastic response on social media, we know how hard the Island’s clubs and schools have been working to keep sport and physical activity going through the lockdowns — and there is no adequate replacement for our annual live celebration of sport.
“We are really looking forward to seeing as many people as possible at the event next year.
“I’d like to ask County Press readers to think about the unsung heroes at their sports clubs and schools — the people who have continued to keep going, staying positive and being resourceful, to deliver coaching, training sessions and matches throughout this period of uncertainty.
“Being physically active has given us a way of coping over the past 20 months, and many have either returned to sport, or come to it for the first time.
“We want to build on that and celebrate individual and team success.
“We are looking forward to receiving the nominations and I’d like to thank the County Press for their support.”
The closing date for 2021 award nominations is Monday, January 17.
To download the nomination form, use the following link: Please submit your nomination by clicking on this link:
https://www.iowsports.org/candidate-nomination-form/
Links to put forward nominations for awards to the primary and secondary school on the Island which does most to encourage sport at them are as follows:
- https://www.iowsports.org/nomination-form_primary.php#form (primary schools).
- https://www.iowsports.org/secondary-school-nomination-form/ (secondary schools).
If you experience any difficulties downloading a nomination form, or if you would like a physical copy of it, please email: info@iowsports.org
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