The Move More Awards was a special event celebrating the remarkable efforts of individuals and communities in promoting sport, exercise, and physical activity across Sheffield. The evening honoured those who have shown outstanding dedication, innovation and impact in creating a happier, healthier and more connected Sheffield.

Thank you to everyone involved.

Find out more about winners from the evening below.

Categories

As part of this special evening, the Move More Awards 2025 will recognise outstanding contributions across 14 award categories, celebrating the individuals, communities, and organisations that have demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation, and impact in promoting sport, exercise, and physical activity throughout Sheffield.

  • This award recognises the clinical service that has made an exceptional effort in incorporating physical activity into its clinical pathways.

  • This award recognises a physical activity provider that has made an exceptional contribution to improving health outcomes.

  • This award recognises an individual who has worked tirelessly and innovatively to embed high quality PE, Physical Activity and positive sporting experiences into an educational setting or settings.

  • This award recognises an educational setting wherethrough innovative programmes, and inspiring leadership have fostered a culture and environment where movement isn’t just encouraged but celebrated.

  • This award recognises an individual, team, organisation or initiative that has shown exceptional commitment to enhancing active travel opportunities across Sheffield.

  • This award recognises an individual, group, organisation or initiative dedicated to transforming Sheffield's green spaces into inviting, accessible spaces that encourage physical activity and well-being.

  • This award recognises an organisation that is progressive, forward thinking and has created an innovative project aimed at raising physical activity levels in the community.

  • This award recognises an individual that has continually developed and delivered community initiatives that have helped to shape and change lives through the power of Physical Activity.

  • This award recognises a sports team that has demonstrated exceptional performance, teamwork, and sportsmanship over the course of a year.

  • This award recognises a club, organisation, or group that has demonstrated outstanding efforts in promoting inclusivity, accessibility, and equal opportunities, as well as its contributions to enhancing the quality of life and well-being of its members and the broader community.

  • This award recognises an individual, volunteer, team, or organisation that has demonstrated outstanding dedication in their sport. The award highlights the recipient’s hard work, and perseverance, as well as their ability to inspire others and contribute positively to the sporting community.

  • This award recognises an individual or organisation that has made a significant and positive impact through their actions, inspiring others and creating meaningful change. This accolade celebrates the recipient’s dedication, innovation, and influence in their community or workplace.

  • This award recognises an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, and the ability to inspire and develop their peers, athletes, team or local community athletes. This award celebrates their achievements and commitment in helping Sheffield to Move More.

  •  This prestigious award is given to an individual whose remarkable contributions and unwavering dedication have significantly impacted the health and wellbeing of Sheffield.

Winners

And the winners are….

Move More Clinical Service of the Year

  • Exercise-based rehabilitation for patients with Long Covid remains somewhat  controversial, however patients identified a need for a supported return to physical  activity, and the team were keen to incorporate a physical activity offer to enhance care.  This aligned with the services acknowledgement of the evidence-base supporting the  importance of physical activity in promoting better health; reducing, delaying and  preventing disease and capitalises on the wider benefits of physical activity on mental  health, wellbeing and reducing social isolation. 

    Mindful of the potential impact of exercise on post exertional malaise (PEM), a cautious  and pragmatic approach was adopted. Physical activity clinics were offered to those  patients keen to participate and contribute to developing and iterating the offer. The  collective knowledge gained facilitated co-development, with factors considered  including activity type, location, group/1:1 preference, levels of supervision,  convenience, group composition, importance of peer support, financial considerations  and safety implications. Throughout this development phase, the clinical team  considered a wide range of options for delivery, including exploring use of community  assets.  

    The refined offer comprises a 6-week programme of once weekly “condition specific”  group sessions harnessing the power of peer support, and supervised by a clinician who  specialises in Long Covid. Patients are prescribed an individualised, symptom titrated programme including both endurance and strength training. This is delivered in a circuit  format with low-intensity exercises with emphasis placed on remaining within the  patient’s current energy envelope. Exercises are modified to meet individual needs, and  this personalised care approach is now an imperative aspect of symptom management  delivered from venues in both North and South of the city.  

    The class has been well received, with patients describing both physical and mental  health benefits. Physical outcomes have also been very promising, and many  participants have changed their behaviours and seek further exercise opportunities  beyond the 6-week programme. 

Move More Trailblazer in Active Travel Transformation Award

  • Chella Quint OBE goes above and beyond to promote active travel transformation in Sheffield, championing disabled cycling and policy changes that create more accessible infrastructure. She has demonstrated exceptional commitment through hands-on advocacy, policy engagement, and community cycling initiatives. She was named on both the British Cycling 100 Women in Cycling list and the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 list. She is the author of the books Own Your Period and Be Period Positive.  

    Chella has worked directly with Sheffield City Council to improve cycling routes, ensuring disabled cyclists are included in planning decisions. She has also raised key policy questions on disabled cycling and train access at the ministerial level, advocating for more inclusive transport options for those with non-standard cycles and testing new routes and train layouts with her accessible trike.  

    As a lived experience volunteer for Sheffield Hallam University students researching active travel, she provides valuable insight into infrastructure and accessibility. She has tested access, reported back to the council on infrastructure needs for wider cycles, and recently contributed feedback on including disabled cyclists in Sheffield’s expanding cycle hangar scheme. She has also been invited to join the newly formed steering committee for Sheffield Cycling4All.  

    As the first tricycle-trained Breeze cycle ride leader, she has helped British Cycling improve inclusivity—not only in leadership training but also by introducing conversations about menstrual health and sports performance through her work as founder of the Period Positive Movement (for which she received an OBE in the King’s  Birthday Honours 2024).  

    Chella’s commitment to normalising non-standard cycles extends beyond policy work.  She participates in monthly mass rides, bike polo, and annual events like the Big Ride, uses her platform and social media to highlight accessibility gaps, and promotes trike borrowing schemes across Sheffield and beyond for charities like Cycling4All (Sheffield) and Get Cycling (York).  

    By making disabled cyclists more visible and vocal, Chella is transforming Sheffield into a more inclusive active travel city, paving the way for truly accessible active travel for all. 

Move More Sports Team of the Year

  • The Sheffield Eagles Wheelchair team was created through the legacy programme linked to Rugby League World Cup in England in 2022 and the brilliant work Andrea Dobson & partners did in getting this programme off the ground.  

    The team started with an open training sessions at Sheffield Hallam University and now have a team that will compete at the highest possible level in the Betfred Wheelchair Super League.  

    Their first ever training session a few years ago saw people trying the sport for the first time, which makes their progress even more remarkable. Their progress through the Championship has been well documented as they lost every game, they played in their debut season in 2022.  

    Through perseverance and determination, the core group of players have steadily improved, resulting in team being crowned champions in an undefeated 2024 campaign. The team's inclusion in the next Super League season speaks not only for the success of the team but also for the appetite for the sport within the city.  

    Sheffield Eagles have successfully branded themselves as ‘one club’ who have all their teams at the forefront of their club, which has allowed the wheelchair side to expand on their success and create more opportunities for people to take up the sport within the city.  Next year the Betfred Wheelchair Super League will feature seven teams, with the Eagles and fellow new editions the Edinburgh Giants joining the league alongside Leeds Rhinos, Halifax Panthers, Wigan Warriors, London Roosters and Hull.  

    The team’s first Betfred Wheelchair Super League season will provisionally get underway against Wigan Warriors at the end of June, with their first home game being against London Roosters at the beginning of July. This is truly a brilliant success story in a short space of time and is a great team achievement.  

Move More Physical Activity Provider of the Year

  • Throughout 2024, Access Sport have delivered over 200 BMX outreach sessions to  young people in Sheffield at Hillsborough Park Pump Track. In total, 969 young people  have benefited from the programmes, including learning to ride, attending taster  sessions, or developing their skills on a bike.   

     

    Access Sport believe that every young person should have access to a bike, the skills  and confidence to ride it, and somewhere safe, local and exciting to ride. This drives our  work to invest in the community facility at Hillsborough Park, and to activate the venue  through continued delivery. The pump track facility includes a container of BMX’s and  equipment to enable everyone, including young people to don’t have access to their own  cycling equipment to benefit from the facility.  

    Access Sport’s outreach programme takes place over a half term, giving participants up  to 6 sessions to develop their skills on a bike. This helps embed a positive relationship  with physical activity and the skills to continue cycling in the future.  

    Across the year, over 25% of participants started their sessions being unable to ride a  bike, with half of participants unconfident riding a bicycle. From our end of programme  surveys, some schools have resulted in a 100% success rate of participants answering  yes to being able to ride a bike, with 92% of participants stating that they were ‘quite  confident’ or ‘very confident’ riding a bike after our sessions.  

Move More Greenspace and Vitality Accessibility Champion Award

  • The Green Estate CIC works to transform green spaces into inviting, accessible spaces supporting physical activity and wellbeing, our mission is ‘Together we grow green and resilient urban places for people and nature to thrive’.  

    Based in S2, an area characterised by health, employment and educational inequality, we care for 42 hectares including the Green Flag award winning Manor Fields Park and the Manor Lodge site and scheduled ancient monument. Co-design with our local community is key to how we work, through the work of our Growing Communities Ranger Jayne.  

    All ages, backgrounds, experience levels are welcomed to get involved in a range of activities including growing, gardening, walking, cycling, eating, building relationships and kids holiday activities. In partnership with Friends of Manor Field Park, Manor and Castle Development Trust and MASKK we involve our community in the design and maintenance of our green spaces, run community events including health walks, RSPB big bird watch and a community food forest, creating a low maintenance space people  can enjoy for both physical and mental wellbeing.  

     

    Last year we facilitated 5,700 volunteer hours caring for Manor Lodge and Manor Fields Park connecting people to urban nature and supporting physical and mental wellbeing We had 8677 visitors to our Manor Lodge site in 2024 and 2,062 Sheffield school visits.  Volunteers support these visits and share the cultural and environmental heritage. The   

    children enjoy exploring the lavender maze, picking herbs in the volunteer managed apothecary garden, helping children to flourish outside the classroom.  

    We’ve been awarded the Green Flag Award every year for over 10 years highlighting our care for green spaces and our community engagement and approach. As a social enterprise any surplus we make or funding we secure supports our social and  environmental impact in S2.  

Move More Inclusive Champion of the Year

  • Sheffield Concord Net4All exemplifies the spirit of inclusivity and community engagement. Since its inception in 2019, Net4All has passionately addressed the lack of female SEND sporting opportunities in Yorkshire, creating a welcoming environment that fosters trust, confidence, and camaraderie among participants. 

    Recognising the challenges faced by SEND females, Net4All initiated taster days tailored specifically for young athletes. Held during school hours accompanied by teachers, allows participants to engage with club coaches in a familiar setting.  Net4All's commitment to inclusivity extends beyond just sport.  

    By building relationships with Muslim families, the organisation has demonstrated its understanding of cultural sensitivities, adapting to accommodate diverse needs, such as providing flexible kit  options or considering the impact of Ramadan on participants' well-being. The club has formed critical partnerships with children's homes, ensuring that girls in the care system can engage in sport and connect with peers.  

    The impact of Net4All reaches far beyond participation; it has fostered a sense of belonging and community. Sponsorships have enabled transportation for vulnerable families, ensuring that no child is left behind. Social events, including presentation evenings and Christmas parties, have significantly enhanced the social confidence and mental health of participants.  

    Net4All prides itself on its focus on mentorship and empowerment. Junior members from the mainstream section of Concord Netball club provide personalised coaching to SEND players, nurturing friendships and encouraging personal growth.  

    SEND participants have taken on leadership roles; one player even taking the Into Officiating qualification and running coaching sessions in Uganda. This highlights the development of valuable role models within the community.  

    Net4All offers SEND playing opportunities for a range of abilities, taking two teams annually to the National ParaNetball Championships, returning with gold or silver for the last three years. Some players have developed further to play blended netball in the County league alongside coaches. 

Move More Unsung Hero

  • Milton Samuels is a great gentleman with a passion for junior cricket development that borders on unbelievable. His work, not only for his club, but BME work in Sheffield in general has been outstanding. The time, support and guidance Milton has given the cricket community, along with his quality coaching and leadership skills, have fostered a strong Sheffield Caribbean CC (SCCC) junior team, on the back of his amazing work. He has spent 50 years at the club and started coaching/managing aged 18 - making it over 45 years of coaching so far. He is the real backbone of the club. Three years ago SCCC didn’t have a junior team. 

    Milton has delivered on the Sheffield BME Centre and provided great exit routes for children and young people, whilst helping to keep the club junior teams going. He has coached at club level, run junior sides and been to go-to guy in every sense when new coaches in the area are looking for advice and guidance, always willing to help and go the extra mile for people.  

    The relationship he has with parents is amazing. Everyone respects him so much and always speaks very highly of him everywhere you go. Milton always has a great smile on his face, has fun and makes the cricket matches more than just a match, by building relationships and creating lifelong friends through his mentoring and guidance. Milton has been instrumental in delivering the ACE programme (ECB programme) at the club which supports the development of cricketers from black communities.  

    Milton has been the backbone of the club and one of the main reasons why the club is still thriving and is a safe haven for people from ALL communities to come play Cricket.  Milton is someone every club needs and a very deserving of the Unsung Hero award.   

Move More Educational Champion

  • Tom Hancock of Nether Green Junior School consistently drives the PE School Sport and Physical Activity strategy throughout school curriculum, clubs and competitions and has embedded this into the  ethos of the school. His passionate approach to PE and School Sport has created a sporting culture throughout Nether Green and his approach highlights the importance of PE and Sport on whole child development, academic achievement and physical literacy.  Nether Green are a School Games platinum level school, demonstrating their consistent delivery and engagement with the School Games programme and meeting the requirements necessary to achieve this level for the second time.   

    After Covid, Tom redesigned the entire PE curriculum to provide the children at Nether  Green with a varied timetable of sports and skills to widen their experience, knowledge  and breadth in PE, and catch up on experiences they might have missed throughout the  pandemic.  

    Since attending the Primary PE Conference in September 2023, Tom has  since redesigned his entire curriculum again to meet the needs of the pupils and allow  them to consolidate their learning and experience in different sports and activities over  a longer period of time. He has designed a method of assessment which measures the  children's development of their head, hands and heart and also implemented a staff  audit tool to measure teachers confidence in the delivery of different aspects of the PE  curriculum and identify areas of support and CPD. Tom also used his knowledge and  experience and to assist in the delivery of a workshop at last years Primary PE  conference, sharing his top tips and advice for new PE leads.  

    Tom has ensured that the school sport and extra-curricular offer at Nether Green is varied and plentiful, by working with a range of external partners including Sheffield United Community Foundation and the Sheffield Hatters. He also ensures targeted provision is provided for children who need it the most. There is a tracker in place to   

    measure which children have attended clubs, competitions and events to ensure all children are provided with equal opportunities. They promote active travel and 60 active minutes through their ‘Trundle Tuesday’ initiative and have an extra-curricular timetable of over 12 clubs per week.  

    They also have designated play leaders facilitating physical activity and games at lunchtime. The ethos of the school and buy in from SLT has allowed for various school staff to provide and deliver clubs and attend different events and competitions with the children throughout the academic year. They engage with events via the School Games, Arches School Sport Partnership and The Sheffield Federation for School Sport. Tom also assists in the facilitation of events in the S10 Cluster. This year, they have attended events in all South Yorkshire School Games pathways including SEND, Inspire and Engage, Develop and Play and Compete, providing multiple participation opportunities for their children. Sports Newsletters are sent out from Nether Green twice per half term to share pupil success stories, links to external provision and raise the profile of PE and Sport across the school community, sharing with parents, carers and teachers the high value of PE, School Sport and  Physical Activity and Nether Green and the positive impact on their children and young  people.   

    Alongside being a full time Y4 Teacher, Tom is the driving force behind PE, School Sport and Physical Activity at Nether Green Junior School. He continues to engage in programmes and initiatives to develop the schools PESSPA offer and his passion and drive to provide high quality PE alongside an extensive extra-curricular and school sport  offer is exceptional. Thank you, Tom, for the work that you continue to do and the opportunities you provide for the children of Nether Green.  

Move More Community Project of the Year

  • Onboard is an incredible hub for young people and families that acts as a fabulous advocacy for those that don't have that, a central point where a large range of  professionals come together under 1 roof in order for young people and families to share  their stories once and help encourage emotional regulation and support to those that  have struggled previously.  

    Onboard uses wheeled extreme sports (e.g. BMX, skateboard, scooter) to support young people, especially those with the greatest need. We have dedicated 12 years to fostering an inclusive and impactful environment shaped by the voices of young people, their families and communities. This ongoing commitment to consultation and collaboration has guided the development of a range of broad offerings and targeted interventions which have received excellent feedback from users, their families, local communities and commissioning bodies. Programs successfully run over the past two years include:  

    • Formal ‘alternative education’ during term-times for YP excluded or missing from education. Onboard is a leading provider in Sheffield with an outstanding record.  Demand has grown significantly, especially after COVID, and there is a long waiting-list for our services.   

    • Holiday Activities and Food for those on free school meals – at Onboard and in partnership with local community associations in other deprived areas of Sheffield).  Onboard has developed an outstanding local reputation, its programs are now always over-subscribed, and it has won both regional and national awards for the quality and  impact of its programs.  

    • Specialised sessions for groups, such as those on SNIPS (special needs inclusion play  care service), YP who have been home-schooled, girls and young women, youth clubs  for older teenagers. 

    • One-to-one befriending for one day each week in the holidays for those most at risk of  exploitation and entering the youth justice system.  

    • Outreach in local parks where the incidence of anti-social behaviour is high. Linking  young people back to onboard, participating in BMX feestyle lessons, regularly using the  onboard facility and therefore creating incredible positive change in their sporting habits  (we have 19 of these young people consistently attending from cookson/ parsons cross  summer camps.   

    • Short ‘prevention’ programs within schools for YP on the cusp of suspension/exclusion.  

    Wheeled sports are increasingly popular and well-suited to YP that may not respond as well to mainstream, structured sporting activities. It allows creativity, its highly sensory and enables specialised programs to be supported, responding to changing priorities  and needs (e.g. the increase in neurodiversity among YP; some cultural and ethnic  groups that are currently under-represented; girls and young women; the LGBTQ+  community; older teenagers; wheelchair users).  

Move More Sporting Spirit Award

  • Carol has been an active sports leader in the African Caribbean community over 40 years. As a youth worker she organised activities, transporting kids to clubs across the city for events.   

    Carol played netball at junior school and later in Sheffield Works league, however she did not see other black women playing the sport. In 1984 she established Sheffield Caribbean Netball Team. She sought funding for equipment, organised training and secured sponsorship. The team enjoyed successful years in the Sheffield league. In 1989, Carol liaised with Sheffield Recreation Department to organise the first intercity netball tournament.  

    The success of the team goes beyond netball and Carol has been the leading force in arranging social and wellbeing events. She promoted walking netball and organised an introductory session and many attend sessions at Canon Medical Arena. In 2024, the team celebrated forty years of netball and sisterhood.   

    Carol also established a netball development centre for African Caribbean girls, holding weekly coaching sessions and entering the South Yorkshire junior league. Carols in touch with these young women who now have successful careers. She champions netball and some now play walking netball.  

    Carol is Assistant Secretary for Caribbean Sports Club and continues to organise activities. She contributed to the successful bid to build a new pavilion at the Ecclesfield ground. 

    Carol was passionate about developing a dementia service for African Caribbean community and co-founded Sheffield Memory Hub in 2023. She understands the positive impact of physical activity and music for those living with dementia. 

    Carol facilitates weekly fitness sessions to members, including chair tennis and chair aerobics. Carol uses members’ favourite music and songs for gentle exercises that they can practice at home.   

    These sessions have significant impact as whilst exercising members reconnect with past interests, memories, enhancing their quality of life.   

Move More Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Stephen suffered a spinal injury in 2003 and subsequent hospitalization following a cancerous diagnosis resulted in him having his left leg amputated in 2006. With the prospect of life in a wheelchair suffering severe depression contemplating suicide.   

    With endless family support he pulled himself round enrolling at university and gaining a BSc in Computer Science. Having no provision at university for disabled sport, Stephen co-facilitated disability wheelchair basketball leading to 3rd place in the inaugural University Wheelchair Basketball Competition. Stephen was nominated by his university peers to represent the university being a 2012 Olympic Torch Bearer.  

    This involvement led Stephen to recognise the lack of provision for disabled sport and exercise within Sheffield from personal trainers and exercise clubs. In 2013 Stephen set about changing the narrative embarking on a career change becoming a GP Referral Disability Exercise Practitioner, through the Aspire Spinal Injury and Instructability Organisation.  

    Founding D.A.W.S (Disability Awareness With Sport) Stephen was recognised in 2016 for his perseverance in changing disability exercise and being awarded a 2016 UK Flame Award.  

    Stephen furthered his knowledge gaining qualifications in Mental Health, Wellbeing in the workplace and further qualifications in disability sports - boccia, archery, handball and bowls which he uses in delivery of Sheffield special needs events and SEND  schools.  

    In 2017 D.A.W.S gained charitable status, pursuing its purpose of providing exercise and sport for the Sheffield disability public and long-term ill-health, being recognised in Sheffield for supporting clientele who cannot access mainstream services. Stephen suffered a setback in 2019 becoming ill with a NFD (Neurological Functional Disorder) but still pursued the charities vision by helping to organise social events, home visits, helping fellow amputees to gain their independence and life skills, and organising mental health meetings for amputees.  

    Stephen intends to help disadvantaged people for the foreseeable future! 

Move More Educational Setting of the Year

  • At Sheffield Wednesday Football Club Community Programme ‘Alternative Provision' we have created places for students who don't attend full time mainstream educational settings. In previous years we have worked with the Sheffield Inclusion team to place around 25-30 students per week to engage in sports related academic interventions. Since September 24 we have reached out in an attempt to be more inclusive, offering places to students who have fallen out of education due to permanent exclusions and therefore becoming the responsibility of Sheffield city council.  

    Through working closely with the Progressions team at Sheffield City council and secondary schools across Sheffield we now offer places to more than 80 children with more planned in future months.  

    Our offer as an alternative provision is to provide education through sport. We actively encourage learning through physical activity whilst delivering high quality education to enable future barriers to become less prevalent. We use a range of facilities across the patch which includes but is not limited to SWFCCP Facilities, Sheffield International venues, golf courses/ranges as well as using the countryside for exercise purposes. Our learners’ complete courses which enable them to create a pathway from secondary school through to post 16 studies. Qualifications include NCFE Sports coaching level 1 as well as AQA modules in physical activity.  

Move More Community Activity Champion of the Year

  • Kellyanne is a Health and Wellbeing Worker, her role contributes to tackling inequalities in health through promoting and supporting individuals to transform their lives, including developing healthier behaviours and lifestyles in the context of their own communities.   

    Kellyanne works at a grass roots level, directly with vulnerable people, and focuses on physical activity to enrich lives and improve community wellbeing.  The activities Kellyanne runs and facilitates include weekly, walk and talks, boxercise classes, pram push walks (for new mums), circuit training, chair aerobics and menopause support groups.  

    These groups have a positive impact on the community as they not only improve physical wellbeing but also enable isolated individuals to make friends within their local community and feel supported and included. Kellyanne also works with individuals who lack in confidence and struggle with anxiety, and through the groups she runs enables people to improve confidence and feel empowered.   

    Kellyanne continuously strives to promote inclusion and equality and advocates anti racism as well as women's equality. She also (following advice and guidance from Disability Sheffield) created a chair aerobics session to promote inclusion and enable individuals with mobility issues to take part in her physical wellbeing sessions and this has made a huge difference to those who attend. In addition, she funded her own training to include people with Parkinsons Disease to take part in her boxercise class.  Kellyanne is a warm, caring individual who welcomes all to her groups and goes above and beyond for the individuals she supports. She is held in extremely high regard by the rest of the team here at MCDT and by the wider community.   

    Her outstanding contribution to the local community deserves to be recognised and celebrated as she makes a huge difference to the lives of many people within the community.  

Move More Changemaker Award

  • Niall, who is autistic and has a learning disability, has worked alongside special Olympics Great Britain and Special Olympics Europe Eurasia as an athlete leader, over the past seven years, championing inclusion in sport for all. As someone who finds talking a huge challenge, due to his dyspraxia, he is surprisingly undaunted in the challenge to publicly speak and continues to push himself to show young people and their families who have similar disabilities that a positive life can and is possible.  

    He has given talks at Sheffield Hallam university, in schools and colleges across the city and done a TED talk (give me just a little more time) about his own journey as an athlete with a disability, to encourage educators and all society to think differently and be more inclusive in their engagement and practices. He is relentless in his pursuit for equity and inclusion for all.  

    He is a cyclist, both road and cyclocross, winning a gold and silver  medal at the Special Olympics world summer games Berlin in 2023 and takes part in  disability specific, but also mainstream events in an effort to promote inclusion and  myth bust at the same time, he is aware that he won’t be winning in mainstream events,  but is happy to participate and raise awareness and understanding of the ease at which  it can be to include and not exclude.  

    He never lets up a chance to share his journey, encourage others to participate or simply be the trailblazer. Nothing stops him. Niall has been recognised for his work in inclusion and advocacy with several awards in the past two years, showing his commitment as a change maker, he never sees the awards as personal to himself but that it shows he is making a difference and that the louder he can make his voice the better for everyone.  

    In November 2024 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University for his work as an advocate for inclusion and is proud to be recognised in his own city. He is currently working with Sheffield Wednesday football club as a disability ambassador, engaging with children and young people to promote positivity and inclusion, encouraging healthy life choices, engendering positivity and spreading happiness.

Judging Panel

  • Ed Clancy

  • Measha Harris

  • Richard Stubbs

  • Stephen Pleasant

  • Laura Martin

  • Ed Clancy OBE is the most successful Team Pursuit cyclist in history, having won gold with Team GB at three successive Olympics. 2021 marked his sixteenth year as a Team GB team pursuit cyclist as he competed in his fourth Olympic games in Tokyo.

    Ed is also the Active Travel Commissioner for South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority

  • Measha is a Welfare Officer at Yorkshire Sport Foundation and has a background in Child Protection and Wellbeing in a range of Education Settings, and has experience within community development work aiming to eliminate barriers to social inclusion across the communities in Bradford. She has been a safeguarding officer at a cricket club in South Yorkshire and in 2018 she volunteered at a school for deaf and blind children in Columbo, Sri Lanka, where sport was a key part in engaging the pupils. 

  • Laura is a Place Relationship Manager at Sport England

  • Richard is the Chief Executive Officer of Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber as well as Chair of the Health Innovation Network. With more than two decades of experience in the healthcare sector, Richard is an inspirational leader who offers a unique combination of local, national and international perspectives.

    Richard is an Honorary Professor at Sheffield Hallam University and chairs the advisory board for their Advanced Wellness Research Centre (AWRC), a £14m research institution established to develop innovations that will improve population health and physical activity and is a visiting fellow at the university.

  • Steven is the Healthy Life Expectancy Lead at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority