Celebrating sporting success

The Mayor of Rochdale, with representatives of Link4Life and Rochdale Council cabinet member for Leisure, Councillor Martin Burke, welcomes award winners to the Town Hall

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Winners of this year’s Greater Manchester Sports Awards were welcomed to afternoon tea with the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Peter Rush this week to celebrate their achievements.

Rochdale Borough scooped two Awards at this prestigious annual event held earlier this month at The Points, Lancashire Cricket Ground, Old Trafford when the winners from the individual sports awards of all ten boroughs go head to head to select the best overall.

On the night, two awards were collected marking the end of a three year prize winning drought. The award for Club of the Year went to the Rochdale Company of Archers and Disabled Sports Achiever of the Year was won by Special Olympics swimmer, Jamie Kelly.

Gillian Bishop, Chief Executive of Link4Life, organisers of the Rochdale Borough Sports Awards, said, “Our annual Sports Awards provide us with the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the success of local athletes, coaches and clubs. For two of this year’s winners to go on to take the regional award as well is fantastic.”

Rochdale Company of Archers has been established for nearly 60 years. Five years ago the club put in place a development plan that would enable the wider community to have an archery experience and engage with the sport. Their hugely successful schools archery project has now introduced over 2,500 children to the sport.

John Percival, Club Director said, “Archery is ideal for all ages and is great for families. The success of the club is down to the contribution made by our volunteers, individuals and members. Receiving this award is tremendous recognition for their hard work and for this popular sport.”

Jamie Kelly captained the Great Britain team at the Special Olympics World Aquatics invitational in Puerto Rico, USA in 2012, winning four Gold medals, and he is hoping to compete in the next Special Olympics summer games taking place in Los Angeles in 2015. Jamie is a qualified swimming instructor and teaches children with special needs. His weekly training routine involves three early mornings and four evenings a week. Speaking about his award, Jamie said, “I owe my success to my grandparents. I would like to give huge thanks to all my family and friends for their support and especially my coaches Chris and Dan”.

The Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Rush said, “I am very proud to have both winners here today. Sport is a big part of anyone’s life and it’s lovely to see the remarkable success of both Jamie Kelly and the Rochdale Company of Archers. I was at the Rochdale Borough Sports Awards, held in September, and I was delighted to see how archery in particular has been brought to the forefront - it is such a unique sport but has gained massive participation. A special thanks to our partner Link4Life who do so much to champion the cause of sport in the borough.”