12 Sep 2025

Sport and Recreation Alliance to celebrate 90th anniversary with special event at St James’s Palace

Sport and Recreation Alliance to celebrate 90th anniversary with special event at St James’s Palace news article image

The Sport and Recreation Alliance is delighted to announce that the organisation will be hosting a special event at St James’s Palace on 12 November 2025 to mark its 90th anniversary.

The unique event will encompass the Alliance’s Annual General Meeting, as well as the Community Sport and Recreation Awards: Youth Edition 2025, which was launched earlier this year. There will also be a celebration of the Alliance’s achievements throughout our 90-year history, and we will be joined by our President, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, who has been such a strong supporter of our work.

While details of the celebration remain under wraps for the moment, we will be presenting two longstanding awards at our Annual General Meeting, with both the Arthur Bell Trophy and Spirit of Sport and Recreation Award returning this year.

Alongside this, we will be recognising future leaders in the sector with our special Community Sport and Recreation Awards: Youth Edition 2025. Nominations for the nine awards were open earlier this year and featured categories including Young Coach of the Year, Young Advocate of the Year, and Young Inclusivity Champion of the Year. After an overwhelming number of nominations, the winners will be revealed on 12 November.

Registration for the event is now closed.

Alliance CEO, Lisa Wainwright MBE, said:

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate our 90th anniversary in such a nationally significant setting. Our sincere thanks go to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh for hosting us at St James’s Palace, a venue embedded in the history of the Alliance, and previously, the Central Council of Physical Recreation too.

“The Alliance’s longevity is a significant achievement, and a testament to our members, partners, Board and team, both past and present, who have helped to steer us through many challenges and towards many successes.

“We look forward to celebrating alongside those from across our Alliance family, our young leaders, as well as our Arthur Bell Trophy and Spirit of Sport and Recreation Award winners. We can’t wait to see you all in November!”

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