Success celebrated at annual sports awards

SPORTING success was celebrated at the annual Mid Durham and Dales awards at Bishop Auckland Town Hall last Friday night.

Organised by County Durham Sport, there was much to celebrate locally.

The Teesdale Special Olympics swimming team won the award for senior club sports performance of the year.

Among the club’s highlights this year was a medal-laden performance as part of the Northern region team at the national championships in Sheffield, in August.

Meanwhile, Paul and Samantha Tucker, from Evenwood Road Runners, received the award for volunteers of the year.

Teesdale Gun Club’s Ted McFarlane received the contribution to sport award and Copeland Road Primary school picked up the prize for contribution to sport and PE.

In all, awards in 13 categories were handed out, with all winners now going forward to a county-wide presentation evening which will be held at Durham’s Gala Theatre in January.

The Tuckers received their award for the role the played in setting up Evenwood Road Runners’ junior section.

“We set it up in 2015 and from there, we have now got up to 60 members,” said Mr Tucker.

“We run coaching for four to 14-year-olds. We have done everything really, from getting the kids running kit and hoodies to organising track sessions.

“We just thought we wanted to assist the club by getting young people involved and giving something back to the Evenwood community if we could.

“The kids are the next generation of runners and we hope to inspire them to be fit and healthy.”

Mr Tucker said he and Samantha were “over the moon” with the award.

“It was brilliant. You don’t expect it. The response we have had from parents has been lovely. It’s nice sometimes to get a thank-you.”

Katherine Spanswick, PE co-ordinator, said Copeland Road Primary School’s award came on the back of building up sport at the school over a number of years.

“We try to include sport across the whole day. Everyone takes part in a daily mile and we have extra curricular classes to introduce children to new sports,” she said.

“We enter all the tournaments for key stage one and we are part of the Sainsbury school games.”

The Y3 tennis team are county champions and the key stage two gymnasts have also performed well.

“We have appointed a sports apprentice – Jonathan Plews, who was nominated for young coach of the year – and we have sports leaders who run activities in school,” added Ms Spanswick.

“We were absolutely over the moon to win. We had not heard about the awards until recently. It is a whole team effort in school.”

The full list of winners is:

Contribution to sport: Ted McFarlane.

Young sports performance of the year: Ellie Barker.

Sports performance of the year: Teesdale Special Olympics Club.

Junior sports club of the year: Bishop Auckland St Mary's JFC.

Sports club of the year: Hunwick Cricket Club.

Young volunteer of the year: Ryan Daughtery.

Volunteer of the year: Paul and Samantha Tucker.

Secondary school contribution to sport: King James Academy, Bishop Auckland.

Primary school contribution to sport: Copeland Road, West Auckland.

Young coach of the year: Connor Ward.

Coach of the year: Gary McAllister.

Sport and physical activity achievement of the year: Rachel Edmunds.

Contribution to physical activity: Alan Lawson.