Spotlight on... Volunteer of the Year in association with Davies Sports

It’s just over a week until the London Sport Awards 2020, supported by the City of London Corporation, takes over the Guildhall for the capital’s biggest celebration of grassroots physical activity and sport.

As part of our countdown to the event, we’re homing in on each Award category and its shortlisted nominees to see who’s up for an Award on the night itself.

Here, we’re taking a closer look at one of our two individual categories on the night: Volunteer of the Year in association with Davies Sports.

Who is in the running?

Volunteer of the Year celebrates the outstanding contribution of volunteers to grassroots physical activity and sport; individuals who share their knowledge, passion and skills and give their time generously.

Our three shortlisted nominees each have an inspiring story behind their support for grassroots physical activity and sport.

Linda Almond

As the Blind Tennis Volunteer Lead for Metro Blind Sport, Linda provided volunteer support for blind tennis throughout 2019 and over the course of a number of years.

Inspired by the abilities of players she saw at the National Blind & Visually Impaired Tennis Tournament, Linda supported the development of Metro Blind Sport’s blind tennis sessions at the Islington Tennis Centre.

She has worked ceaselessly to create a sustainable workforce through the Duke of Edinburgh scheme and by consistently inspiring others around her.

Seth Lewis

A football coach in Hayes, Seth uses his story of being an ex-offender to guide young people in the right direction while improving their physical and mental health. 

His natural and calm style means he’s able to engage with children and young people through football coaching as well as being part of a team that delivers workshops around subjects including gang prevention, substance misuse and community respect.

Seth’s efforts extend to supporting parents and carers of young players with information about their children’s behaviour, and has helped identify and refer service users to boxing sessions that form part of structured behavioural plans. 

Seth’s work in turning his own life around has helped support the positive behaviour of others around him.

Nafisa Patel

A vital volunteer for cricket in London, Nafisa has worked to take cricket to new urban environments including faith and community-based settings.

Nafisa has established herself as a leader by volunteering with the England and Wales Cricket Board’s new South Asian Female Volunteering Project, delivering the national All Stars Cricket programme.

Nafisa’s advocacy for cricket led to the development of a Mothers & Daughters All Stars programme in partnership with former London Sport Awards winners, Muslimah Sports Association, marking the first time in ECB history that a female only All Stars session had taken place.

The session inspired 17 girls, 14 mothers, one grandmother and ten other female volunteers, all from BAME backgrounds, to get active. Nafisa is truly a leader in the South Asian community and a massive contributor to grassroots sport.

Davies Sports – Partners to the Volunteer of the Year Award

Davies Sports is a PE and Sport equipment supplier that is passionate about promoting physical activity for all ages and abilities. 

They are committed to providing high-quality equipment and resources for every stage, plus advice and guidance supported by leading sport and education experts.

What They’re Saying

"We are delighted to return to the London Sport Awards and to once again offer our support to the Volunteer of the Year Award.

"The dedication that all three of this year’s shortlisted volunteers have shown to their sport and their communities is a real demonstration of the powerful impact that volunteering has all across London today.

"Good luck to Linda, Nafisa and Seth – we look forward to hearing more about their work at the ceremony."

Who’s in the Hall of Fame?

Our Volunteer of the Year at this year’s Awards will join an incredible array of volunteering talent recognised at previous London Sport Awards ceremonies:

• Franck Batimba (2019)
• Adrian Klemens (2018)
• Henry T Palton Gaspard (2017)
• Tyrone George (2016)