Leisure and culture trusts recognised at Sporta UK Awards

Jubilee Hall Trust won two accolades at the Sporta UK Awards 2017 during a ceremony which recognised the work of charitable enterprises that help improve the nation's health.

Sport, leisure and culture Trusts attended the event, which was hosted by BBC sports presenter Andrew Cotter at Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield, Yorkshire.

Of the 12 categories, Jubilee Hall Trust from London took home the ‘Successful Partnerships (small trust)’ prize for its work with Camden Council and Torriano Primary School, along with the ‘Trustee of the Year’ honour for former chairman Steve Cabrera, for his 11 years of service at the organisation.

London's Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) also won two awards. Karen de Sa took the accolade of ‘Outstanding Individual Achievement’ for her dedication and commitment to growing the gymnastics programme at the trust. GLL also won the Workforce Development Award.

The ‘Volunteer of the Year’ prize was claimed by Martin Floyd and John Totney of Sandwell Leisure Trust, in Tipton, West Midlands, who together have devoted over 2,000 hours of their time in the past year to assist and support users of their local facility.

Brian Leonard, chief executive of Sporta UK, the national association of leisure and cultural enterprises, said: "The range, diversity and depth of the work now being done in our communities by these trusts is quite exceptional, and I think much of it goes unrecognised. That is why we launched the awards that turn the spotlight on some of that work and the people showing the ambition, creativity and commitment to turning lives around.

"We hear a lot about services being cut back, and there's no doubt that we are living in very difficult times for public service finances, but there is some wonderful work being done by these trusts from the southern tip of England to Wales, Northern Ireland and the very north of Scotland. We congratulate the winners but also take our hat off to the more than 100 trusts who entered and allowed us to showcase their work."

The full list of winners are:

Engaging Inactive People (large trust): Active Luton – Me Time and Life Leisure – actilife

Engaging Inactive People (small trust): Leisureworks – Love Your Life County Durham

Successful Partnerships (large trust): Tees Active – Club 55

Successful Partnerships (small trust): Jubilee Hall Trust – The Energy Club

Championing Diversity Award: Ashford Leisure Trust – Inclusive Activity

Workforce Development Award: GLL – Management Academy

Community Impact through Combined Culture and Leisure Award: Tandridge Trust – portfolio of sport and arts

Impact of New Facility Award: BH Live – Corfe Mullen

Social Enterprise Improvement Award: Love Withington Baths – Community Takeover

Volunteer of the Year Award: Martin Floyd and John Totney – Sandwell Leisure Trust

Trustee of the Year: Steve Cabrera – Jubilee Hall Trust

Outstanding Individual Achievement: Karen de Sa – GLL