It’s time to shine: Sports Person of the Year nominations are open
FROM volunteers to elite athletes... it’s time to praise Glasgow’s sporting heroes.
Today marks the opening of nominations for Glasgow Life’s Sports Person of the Year Awards, a night honouring the inspirational people involved in sport in Glasgow.
Last year’s Evening Times Volunteer of the Year Award winner was Anne Glass, secretary of the Drumchapel Cycle Hub.
The hub was set up in 2016 and, since then, has become a flourishing centre for the local community – due in no small part to Anne’s hard work and determination.
In an area of the city with high levels of deprivation and low levels of bike ownership, the hub now runs weekly rides for women only, learn to ride sessions for all, and sessions for young people with Additional Support Needs.
Anne said: “I wanted to help create something which would give those in Drumchapel easy access to an initiative to get physically active and create opportunities to meet new people.
“Connecting with the community isn’t always easy, but it’s become a real passion of mine in recent years – and so we took time to get out and about and let people know what we were doing at the hub and that has made a real difference.
“People have told me their lives have been changed as a result of getting involved with the Cycle Hub and that’s so important.
“We’re getting more people active and giving them the chance to meet other members of the community, so tackling isolation as well as inactivity.
“Winning the Volunteer of the Year at the Glasgow Sports Person of the Year Awards for last year was a real shock.
“It was so special for me and everyone at the Hub, and it meant a lot to us to see sport in Drumchapel being rewarded and promoted.
“It really helped drive home for everyone that they were part of something bigger.
“The awards are about recognition for local communities and that can never be underestimated.”
Councillor David McDonald, chairman of Glasgow Life, said: “The Sports Person of the Year Awards is one of my favourite nights of the year: it’s the perfect opportunity to honour individuals, clubs, and teams which make Glasgow the fantastic sporting city it is today.”
Nominations are open from today until Monday, November 18 – and anyone can submit a nomination at glasgowlife.org.uk/spoty19
Anyone who lives or was born in Glasgow, or is a member of a Glasgow club, can be nominated for 13 categories (see panel above).