The 2019 Volunteer in Sport Awards, officially launched this week, is seeking nominations from individuals, clubs, and sports associations in Westmeath for people who have made a real difference to their club, community, or county.
The Volunteers in Sport Awards were created to recognise the contributions, commitment, and dedication of the 450,000 volunteers who give their time to Irish sport every year.
The Federation of Irish Sport recently announced its new partnership with EBS, which has afforded the Federation the opportunity to re-establish the awards for the first time since 2014.
An overall winner from each county will be selected as well as one national Team of Volunteers award. A Lifetime award for a volunteer who has consistently given of his/her time for a sport, a team, or an event over many years, will also be awarded at the ceremony, taking place on Tuesday, November 12.
How to nominate
Members of the public are invited to nominate a Westmeath volunteer whose contribution to sport has made a real difference to their club, community, or the wider county. Nominations can be made by individuals, clubs, or sporting associations via an online application form at www.volunteersinsport.ie The deadline for applications is Friday, September 27.
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin, said at the launch this week: “It is important to remember that every Irish athlete currently representing his/her club, county, or even country is a result of the hours of passion, dedication, and effort that volunteers afforded them each week as they developed as players and athletes. The unparalleled commitment given by these people must be recognised and celebrated. I am delighted to launch these Sport Volunteer Awards and I urge members of the public to nominate an individual whose contribution to sport has made a real difference in their community, whether that is a coach, manager, official or administrator. These unsung heroes deserve to be celebrated and congratulated publicly.”
Mary O’Connor, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport, added: “The first Volunteer in Sport Awards were presented in 2007 and were done so to recognise the contribution, commitment and dedication of the volunteers who give so generously of their time to sport and physical activity every year. We are delighted that EBS have partnered with us this year to make this happen for the first time in five years.
“Sport plays a central role in the social fabric of Westmeath, as it does in all 32 counties. The value of volunteering in sport clubs and associations across Westmeath is unimaginable. It is these people that make sport happen every weekend across the county, and it is essential they are recognised, and indeed funded to ensure that sporting tradition grows even further in the years to come.”
For more information, visit www.volunteersinsport.ie
