News from Stoke-on-Trent

StreetGames volunteer wins England’s Young Volunteer of the year

 

Jason Sarginson (25) who has been volunteering with the Stoke StreetGames project has been awarded with both the West Midland’s and England’s Young Volunteer of the Year Award (sponsored by the Co-op). This is a fantastic achievement and a great way of acknowledging all his hard work and efforts over the last 12 months.

 

Jason began volunteering with the StreetGames programme delivered by the sport and leisure section of the city council in April 2010. He was extremely enthusiastic and within a month was helping coaches to delivers sessions all across the city nearly every day of the week. Jason lived at the Salvation Army when he began volunteering and had little aspiration or motivation for life. However he had always played and been extremely enthusiastic about sport. The volunteering that he did with StreetGames gave him aspirations to become a coach and got him motivated to help out the young people who attended the sessions.

 

Jason helped out with festivals in Stoke at Northwood Stadium and in the West Midlands at Nechells Leisure Centre, Birmingham. He also began volunteering in the office, helping staff with marketing and inputting data. He has received a number of accolades due to his hard work. He has previously been awarded the Stoke-on-Trent Young Volunteer of the Year Award and the Local Hero Award from StreetGames National.

 

The awards ceremony for the West Midlands Young Volunteer of the Year Award (run by StreetGames) was on 1 June at the Banks’s Stadium, home of Walsall Football Club. Jason was presented with the certificate by Diane Modahl the former Olympic athlete and Commonwealth Gold Medalist. The 7 regional winners were then entered in for the England’s Volunteer of the year award that would encompass volunteers from over 100 projects. Again Jason was fortunate enough to win this award, stating “I am extremely proud and happy that I have won this award”. Although Jason has gone on to work full time as a sports coach at PVFC he still continues to volunteer on the StreetGames programme as he has a real passion for the programme and acts as a positive role model to the young people who attend.

 

To find out how you can become a volunteer please e-mail David Hardwick on david.hardwick@stoke.gov.uk or visit the fan page on facebook StreetGames Stoke-on-Trent.   

 

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Fenton Park football match helps raise funds for the Great Britain National Disabilities Display Team

 

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Sport and Leisure department invited supporters of Stoke City FC and Manchester Utd FC to a charity football match at Fenton Park in July to raise funds for disabled gymnasts - The Great Britain National Disabilities Display Team. The Great Britain National Disabilities Display Team is made up of youngsters with Downs Syndrome and are hoping to fly out to Switzerland in late July for an International competition. 

 

Rival football fans went toe to toe in a series of games played in the park in a competitive but good humoured spirit. Organiser of the fund raiser, Richard Allen (aged 25 from Fenton) said “We have managed to raise £560 and more is still to come in”.

 

The football matches saw Manchester Utd supporters win in both the women’s and men’s games while the children took victory for Stoke City.

 

 

For more information contact:

 

David Bloor
Sport and Leisure Services Officer
T: 01782 235001
E: David.bloor@stoke.gov.uk