Queen’s Award for Chesterfield & District Athletics Club

Chesterfield & District Athletics Club has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service; the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK – and equivalent to an MBE.

The voluntary group from North East Derbyshire has worked in the community since 1978 to offer athletics coaching and competition, winning a Derbyshire Sports Award in 2008 as Club of the Year (pictured below).

Now based at Tupton Hall School, the club has twice-weekly sessions when its volunteer coaches offer instruction in all the athletics disciplines to around 70 young athletes per night. It also offers all-year round competition in track and field, cross-country and sportshall athletics.

Chairman Jon Baker and Membership Secretary Kerry Baker attended a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace where they met the Queen and other winners of this year’s award.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work in their communities. The awards were created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and winners are announced each year on June 2 – the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.

Chesterfield AC will receive the award from the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Mr William Tucker, later this summer.

Club Secretary Frank Gorman said: “We are thrilled to have been selected to receive this award, which recognises the fantastic work that all our volunteers are currently doing, and all the work done by previous volunteers to support the Club since it started in 1978.”

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Committee Chair, former broadcast journalist Sir Martyn Lewis said: “I warmly congratulate all of the inspirational voluntary groups who have been rewarded for their community work with a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The judging panel for this year’s awards were struck by the quality and breadth of all the successful groups.

“The thousands of volunteers who give up spare time to help others in their community and to help solve problems demonstrate the very best of democracy in action.”

Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson, said: “I would like to congratulate all groups who received this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, in recognition of their fantastic achievements. The huge amount of work and commitment these organisations put into their local communities is surpassed only by the passion and motivation of the individuals who volunteer. I hope these groups continue to inspire others to get involved and make a positive impact so that we can continue to build a more compassionate society.”

Image from Derbyshire Sports Awards 2008 (Chesterfield & District Athletics Club wins Club of the Year 2008.)