Back for 2022 are The England Athletics Regional Volunteer Awards. The Regional Volunteer Awards are organised in partnership with Regional Councils and provide an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic contribution that athletics and running volunteers make to our sport.
Within your local club and community, so many people go above and beyond to provide quality athletics and running experiences. The awards are a great way to say thank you for the time and commitment volunteers put into their roles. As a sport we are indebted to the volunteers that make athletics and running happen.
Please note that nominations for 2022 are now closed.
The Volunteer Awards provide a platform to bring these stories to life, thank amazing people and appropriately recognise achievements from those involved in our sport. Through the Regional Volunteer Awards, you can recognise:
- Individuals
- Clubs
- Projects
- Volunteers
- Officials
- Club leaders
Where are the regions?
North East | North-West | Yorkshire and Humberside | East Midlands | West Midlands | South East | East | London | South West
- Find further details about Regional Councils.
When can I nominate?
The nominations were open from June to 31 August. Nominations were open to anybody if they met the awards criteria (they did not have to be a member of your club).
How are the awards reviewed?
After the nominations are received, independent panels for each region review the awards. Those who are shortlisted for an award are invited to a volunteer award event in November/December. This year, these awards will be face to face across the nine regions. For the last two years the Regional Volunteer Awards have been delivered virtually, but we are excited to bring together amazing volunteers and celebrate their successes.
Why vote?
The Regional Volunteer Awards are here to recognise volunteers who are often under appreciated and don’t get the recognition they deserve. Volunteers may well have enhanced an experience that has benefitted you, friends, family, residents, students, colleagues, club members etc. Thanking volunteers can be so powerful and we have seen how much this has meant to volunteers and their loved ones in previous years. We would like to use the awards to say thank you for all the time that is dedicated to athletics and running and encourage you to vote.
Chris Jones, CEO of England Athletics, said:
The EA Volunteer Awards programme has, for more than a decade, recognised the hard work, dedication and achievements of these selfless individuals who give their time to benefit others week in week out, year in year out.
What better way during 2022, a year when we host a home Commonwealth Games, than to nominate your unsung hero for an award during this special year for athletics across England?
I am sure that if you asked each of the competing English athletes at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games how important the work of volunteers has been to inspire their personal journey to 2022, then they would all confirm what we already know and that is that volunteering is the lifeblood of our sport.
Those who will be recognised through this awards programme serve as an inspiration to others who might be starting out on their volunteering discovery or who may be thinking about getting involved to benefit in the physical and mental wellbeing of others whatever their age, background, or ability
What are the categories?
Coach of the Year
This will be for coaches that hold a valid UKA coaching licence and have a minimum qualification of L2, CIRF or Athletics Coach. Nominations will be purely based on voluntary work. This award is open to coaches volunteering in road running and track and field settings.
Club of the Year
This is targeted at affiliated clubs. Club of the Year will focus on clubs that have strived to improve by working towards achieving club standards, can demonstrate what they are doing to improve member experience and how the club is inclusive in its approach.
Newcomer to Volunteering
This will recognise achievements of new volunteers who have got involved in volunteering within athletics/running over the last 24 months. Potential nominations could be for – parents helping at club nights, dedicated young volunteers supporting club sessions, volunteers supporting local events or a new volunteer making a big difference in a local club.
Community Project of the Year
This award provides affiliated clubs, RunTogether groups and associated partners a platform to highlight the projects they have put in place that benefit the community. This could be a project that has raised funds for a local charity, supported deprived individuals or engaged with different sectors of the community. This award is more than athletics and running – it is about how projects linked to athletics and running have had a positive impact on the community.
Club Leader of the Year
This is targeted at a current club leader from an affiliated club who is highly visible. The award highlights the importance of leadership within clubs and is targeted at committee members, working group leads and individuals who have been instrumental in their club’s development and driving change/club improvements.
Inspiring Officials
This award is targeted at all licenced officials. The award celebrates excellence across officiating – this could be for service to the sport for many years, the dedication and commitment an individual has shown to progress through the officiating pathway, officiating at major competitions or an official who has gone above and beyond. This award is an opportunity to thank officials who make our licenced competitions happen.
Services to Athletics and Running
This award celebrates volunteers who have been involved for a minimum of 10 years and have had a huge impact on running, athletics, clubs, and the local community.
Further information:
Please contact Rich Ayling: rayling@englandathletics.org or 07718 394751
Finally
Volunteering in our sport can be extremely rewarding – sharing your knowledge and passion with others to get more people into athletics and running.