Members of the Sport and Recreation Alliance gathered at the iconic Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 15 October for the Alliance’s Annual General Meeting.
Chaired by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, the meeting provided an opportunity for members to hear from the chairs of each of the Alliance’s five divisions – Water Recreation, Outdoor Pursuits, Major Spectator Sports, Movement and Dance, and Games and Sports – and hear about the organisation’s work over the past year.
After meeting with Alliance staff and members, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Alliance CEO Lisa Wainwright MBE and Chair Dame Janet Beer were hosted by Marc Leckie, CEO of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, as he introduced the Duke to “Shape up with Spurs”, a 10-week exercise and nutrition programme launched in partnership with Haringey Council and Sport England. The programme is set up to help people who are not involved in regular sport or exercise to get fitter, healthier and happier.
The event also provided the opportunity to recognise two people for their immense contributions to sport and recreation. Britain’s most decorated Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, and Monica Burton BEM, an inspirational yoga teacher who has been practicing for over 55 years, were rewarded with the Arthur Bell Trophy and Spirit of Sport and Recreation Award respectively.
A deserving winner of this year’s Arthur Bell Trophy, Dame Sarah Storey is Britain’s most successful Olympic or Paralympic athlete in history, winning 19 gold medals and 30 total medals in swimming and cycling at nine separate Paralympic Games to date. She recently took home two gold medals at Paris 2024 at the age of 46 – 32 years after her Paralympic debut at Barcelona 1992.
As well as inspiring an incredible number of people through her achievements, Dame Sarah is a staunch advocate for sport and physical activity – she was Active Travel Commissioner for South Yorkshire from 2019 until May 2022, when she moved to Greater Manchester to become the area’s second Active Travel Commissioner, a position she still holds.
Unfortunately, Dame Sarah was unable to collect her award in person at the ceremony, but Jon Dutton OBE, Chief Executive Officer of British Cycling, was on-hand to receive it on her behalf, and gave a fitting tribute:
“I am absolutely thrilled to accept this award on behalf of Dame Sarah Storey for her contribution to the development of community sport.
“You will know that Sarah not only has had success in competition, but also channels her passion for sport, cycling, and women’s sport in particular, into a diverse mix of projects, as has been documented.
“The work she does in Greater Manchester as Active Travel Commissioner, as a visiting professor at Manchester Metropolitan University, and as a President for Lancashire Cricket Club, along with her charity work, all showcases her commitment and passion for creating social change.”
Monica Burton BEM was also honoured with the Spirit of Sport and Recreation Award, having had a transformative impact on a number of communities in her long career as a yoga teacher. Her journey with yoga began in the early 1970s when she was inspired by the ‘Yoga for Health’ TV programme. As a full-time Nurse specializing in Geriatric care, she became intrigued by how yoga could benefit older adults with complex health needs.
Since then, she has hosted countless free yoga events across London, created numerous yoga programmes, and has pushed for greater recognition for yoga as a form of physical activity through her work as Chair of the British Wheel of Yoga. Now, aged 89, she continues her practice, teaching a weekly yoga class in London for a group of adults.
On receiving the award, Monica said:
“I really want to say that this isn’t just for me, this is for the Committee that worked with me during my time. Some of them are here with me today, and helped me when I became Chair [of the British Wheel of Yoga].
“Thank you all, thank you.”
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