Record number of nominations recognising
Inspiring stories to get Londoners active
18th January 2024: London – The shortlist for the London Sport Awards 2024, supported by the City of London Corporation, have been announced today celebrating the unsung heroes who are improving the lives of Londoners through sport and physical activity.
The shortlist for the eighth edition of the Awards sees 28 nominees announced across ten categories including an array of community volunteers, grassroots teams, health and fitness clubs, elite sports organisations, businesses, and charities.
With a record-breaking 415 nominations received, the shortlist was chosen by a panel of expert judges including representatives from Sport England, London Youth Games, London Marathon Events, Decathlon, Deloitte, the City of London Corporation, and past London Sport Awards winners.
Thanks to the generous support of the City of London Corporation, the London Sport Awards ceremony will once again be held at the historic Guildhall in March 2023. The event will celebrate the inspirational stories of these finalists and their work through powerful films and photography created by students from Ravensbourne University.
Anne Wafula Strike, MBE, Paralympian and London Sport Awards judge said: “All the individuals and organisations that have been nominated have played such an important role in supporting underserved Londoners get and stay physically active.
With so many Londoners facing the challenges of inequality and inactivity, it is incredibly inspiring to see how the unique spirit of London can still thrive. Each and every nominee on this list should hold their head high as they continue to play their part in improving the lives of Londoners through sport and physical activity.”
The shortlist for one of the most prestigious categories, Volunteer of the Year, includes Allan Cockram who set up Brentford Penguins Football Club for children with Down Syndrome over six years ago. Many community football clubs offer pan-disability training sessions, but Allan identified children with Down’s were not always given the attention they needed or deserved.
One Penguin parent stated the following: “My son’s life would not be the same without the Penguins. He was just about tolerated whenever he tried to join other football teams as he would intentionally sabotage play and would not be asked back. It was really hard to watch as a parent because he just wanted to join in, and he adores football. When we found the Penguins, it felt like we had come home. Allan is everything to these kids. They light up when they see him, and he makes them all laugh so much.”
Self-funding the scheme, Allan founded Brentford Penguins for any child with Down Syndrome aged five or older, of any ability, and has run the weekly training himself as a volunteer. With an open-door policy where no child is ever turned away, the club has grown and now includes over 50 children and young people.
Allan Cockram says: “I am both honoured and humbled by being nominated for a London Sport Award. Behind every success and individual accomplishments, there’s a story of countless hours of dedication from an entire team and community.”
Another nomination, shortlisted for the Supporting Young Londoner Award, is the Featherstone School Sports Partnership in Ealing, which looks to address the gaps in opportunities amongst young Londoners and has developed a comprehensive ‘levelling up’ programme with an ambitious objective: “to ensure all disadvantaged children within our communities have equal access to sport and physical activities. We will break all barriers to participation to ensure no child is left behind.”
Featherstone organises several events for disadvantaged children including ten-pin bowling and archery. This programme provides children with access to enriching and engaging activities they would not usually be able to afford, such as rock climbing, archery, and golf, along with a serving of breakfast and up to 60 hot healthy meals a day.
Juma Abdullahi of Featherstone School says: “We are delighted to be nominated for the Supporting Young Londoners Award at the 2024 London Sports Awards. We are passionate about providing equal access to sport and physical activity to all young people regardless of gender, ethnicity, ability or socioeconomic group. As a team, we are extremely proud of our impact on our communities and the sustainable practices we have put in place.”
For more details about the London Sport Awards, visit: https://londonsport.org/our-events/london-sport-awards-2024
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Full Shortlist – London Sport Awards 2024
Volunteer of the Year
- Allan Cockram (Hounslow)
- Iffat Tjani (Harrow)
- Md Tanvir Ahamed (Ealing)
The Supporting Young Londoners Award in Association with Play Innovation
- Featherstone School Sports Partnership (Ealing)
- MovementWorks (Lewisham)
- Spencer Lynx (Wandsworth)
The Health & Wellbeing Award in Association with Sid Lee
- Mind in Croydon – Active Minds (Croydon)
- Black Prince Trust – PASIO Programme (Lambeth)
- GLL Healthy Lifestyle Service (Greenwich)
The Digital and Tech Innovation Award in Association with Exergame
- London South Bank University (Southwark)
- Sportas (Newham)
- Deepak Vohra (Barking & Dagenham)
The Environmental Impact and Sustainability in Sport Award in Association with Decathlon
- Jog On (Westminster)
- Fulham Reach Boat Club (Hammersmith & Fulham)
- Planet League (across London)
The Uniting London Award in Association with Opinium
- Sports Fun 4 All (Lewisham)
- Disability Sports Coach (Southwark)
- Boats Not Bars Programme from Fulham Reach Boat Club (Hammersmith & Fulham)
- Out to Swim (across London)
The Community Impact Award
- Cycle Sisters (Cycle Sisters)
- Disability Sports Coach (Southwark)
- Sports Fun 4 All (Lewisham)
The Enhancing the Sporting Workforce Award
- LTA SERVES – Level Up London (across London)
- West Reservoir Watersports Centre (Hackney)
- Orion Harriers (Waltham Forest)
The Business Contribution Award, in association with the City of London Corporation
- Nike & Jordan (Camden)
- Decathlon (Southwark)
- Stay Belvedere Hotels Limited (Redbridge)
Lifetime Achievement Award, in association with BBC Radio London
Shortlist to be announced at the London Sport Awards event in March
List of Judges:
Bevis Allen – London Sport Trustee
Tracey McCillen London Sport – Trustee
Warren Leigh – Sport England
Andy Dalby-Welsh – London Youth Games
Chris Allen – Decathlon
Pauline Daniyan – London Youth
Ziana Butt BEM – Previous Award Winner
Usama Yusuf – Fair4All Finance
Michelle Weltman – London Marathon Events
Edward Lord – City of London Corporation
James Banks – London Funders
Freddie Hudson – London United & Arsenal Foundation
Alice John – Deloitte
Anne Wafula Strike, MBE – Paralympian
About London Sport
London Sport is a charity that exists to help ensure more Londoners live happier, healthier lives through access to sport and physical activity.
Supported by Sport England and the Mayor of London, London Sport collaborates with those that share our vision, running and supporting projects that help children, young people and the least active adults to embed sport and physical activity into their lives.
For more information on London Sport, visit www.londonsport.org
About City of London Corporation
The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile, dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally successful UK.
www.cityoflondon.gov
