SPORT stars of all ages came together for the Wokingham Borough Sports Council awards evening.
Held at The Bulmershe School, 20 awards were presented in total, ranging from under-14 age group through to unsung heroes and those who have dedicated their life to sport.
Olympian Amber Hill, a skeet shooter from Binfield, was on hand to conduct a question and answer session with audience and also present the trophies.
Archie Carter was a double award-winner. The youngster won the U18 boys gong after a brilliant cricket season where he scored over 2000 runs for Wokingham CC, where he was named 1st XI player of the year, as well as on the county scene with both Berkshire and Middlesex.
And he followed that up with another award in the ‘best secondary school’ category as part of Forest School’s sporting achievements.
The two big awards of the night went to Pinewood Gymnastics Club star Lucie Colebeck, who won the prestigious ‘excellence in sport’ prize following a fine year which included a bronze medal at the World Games and two medals at the World Championships.
Roland Mear was the final winner of the night with the ‘chairman’s award’ having stepped down from that role himself to hand over to new incumbent Nigel King this year.
“That was a great shock to me,” said Mear, who has been playing hockey at Wokingham Hockey Club (now South Berkshire) for over 35 years.
“I didn’t expect that at all and it’s so much appreciated. I think the organisation is in very safe hands with such a positive individual as Nigel.”
King said: “Roland had been associated with the sports council for over 20 years, the last six years as chairman.
“Over that time he’s been instrumental in driving forward some of the new initiatives to promote new sport in the borough.
“He’s helped these awards grow from a fairly small scale event to the size and scale and the success they are today.”
2017 roll of honour-
Girls U14: Isobel Blinkhorn (Reading Royals Synchronised Swimming Club)
Boys U14: James West (Albatross Diving Club)
Girls U18: Megan Splain (Gymnastics – Maiden Erlegh School)
Boys U18: Archie Carter (Cricket – Middlesex, Berkshire & Wokingham CC)
Best Primary School: Robert Piggott Junior School
Best Secondary School: Forest School
Senior Woman: Tilly Nash (Pinewood Gymnastics)
Female Team Award: Maiden Erlegh U18 Girls Rugby
Male Team Award: Reddam Junior Boys Gymnastics
Senior Man: Alfie Mawson (Football – Swansea City, ex-Forest School)
Unsung Hero: Suzanne Fenwick (Bracknell AC)
Service to sport in the community: Brian Wooldridge (Walking For Health Wokingham)
Service to sport in the community (club): Woodley United FC
Coach of the Year: Symon O’Keefe (Sand Martins Golf Club)
Volunteer of the Year: Richard Devereux (Basketball, St Crispin’s School)
Service to disabled sport: Alan Leason (Golf)
Courage Award: Helen Wilson (Bracknell AC + Archery)
Spirit of sport: Sophie Guy (Netball – The Holt School)
Excellence in sport: Lucie Colebeck (Pinewood Gymnastics)
Chairman’s Award: Roland Mear (ex-WBSC chairman)
