Yorkshire and Humberside Clubs
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Welcome to Special Olympics Yorkshire and Humberside
Please see menu to the right for list of clubs local to this region.
Regional Chair: Keith Thornton
Tel: 01274 581 779
Email: kdt36@btinternet.com
Regional Secretary: Janet Nolan
Tel: 01482 871 349
Email: janet@nolan5.karoo.co.uk
The website address is: www.yhso-families.co.uk
Introduction
Special Olympics Yorkshire and Humberside currently has 17 clubs providing different sports and training opportunities. Some clubs offer a single sport and others are multi-sports.
The sports which the region participate in are: athletics, swimming, gymnastics, equestrian, football, power lifting, ten pin bowling, flat green bowls, short mat bowls, boccia, basketball, tennis, netball and golf.
New age kurling has been offered as a "come and try” event. If opportunity arises to introduce new sports there would be a positive reaction.
Regional meetings take place throughout the year with everyone welcome to attend. These take place at National Grid offices in Leeds.
Aspirations
To promote opportunities for athletes of all abilities to train and participate in different sports by developing individual physical fitness, then compete and enjoy local, regional and perhaps national events.
Goal (Aim)
Increase the number of clubs, volunteers and coaches.
Develop and improve relationships with organisations and schools.
Mission
Maintain and enhance the present annual programme of competitions and events and develop any new sport with the assistance of sport clubs, local authorities and a variety of sponsors.
Press Clippings
News
SPECIAL OLYMPICS YORKSHIRE AND HUMBERSIDE WINS FOUR AWARDS!
March 2010 - At the Federation of Disability Sports Organisations Dinner 2010, held at Leeds United F.C. Conference and Exhibition Centre at Elland Road on 19th March, Special Olympics Yorkshire & Humberside came away with four major awards.
The Volunteer Of The Year award was presented to Janet Nolan, for the outstanding work she has done over the past 12 years – and is still doing, both for the City of Hull Swimming and Gymnastics Groups but also for her work as regional secretary for the 15 Groups within the Yorkshire & Humberside region. “She is a very quiet, unassuming, forward thinking, and capable lady, who ‘makes things happen’ and she is a great facilitator. She is always very willing and able to support athletes and their families when they have problems. She can head them in the right direction for help and advice. She spends hours of her time attending meetings of various Disability Groups and Organisations – finding new opportunities for our members to be involved in and creating links between Special Olympics and other organisations – for the benefit of both. Janet is a very worthy winner of this Award”, said Special Olympics volunteer Judy Burdass.
The Regan Cooper Team of the Year award was won by the Special Olympics Yorkshire & Humberside team which very successfully competed in the Special Olympics GB National Summer
Games in Leicester last July. The team consisted of 209 members, who between them took part in 13 different sports and came home with over 250 Medals.
A Special Award was won by the equestrian athlete Tanika Foster, who overcame particular difficulties prior to the National Games, yet still performed to her best abilities whilst there.
The “npower” Community Award acknowledges support given to disability sport by a company or organisation, and this year was won by National Grid, and John Feven, from National Grid’s Leeds Office collected this Award
National Grid is an Official Partner to Special Olympics Great Britain. As such they provide a huge amount of support to Special Olympics in the form of volunteers for events, as well as providing meeting venues and printing programme for events and publicity material, and offering photography support. Within National Grid, employees also raise money through a wide variety of means. The Yorkshire & Humberside region have benefited a great deal from the willing support and expertise of National Grid.
For more information contact Judy Burdass on 01262 470201.
SOGB Celebrates the Spirit of Volunteering: 2009 Volunteer of the Year Awards at the House of Commons
Yorkshire & Humberside Winner: Janet Nolan
Tuesday, 9 February, 2010 - Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB) is pleased to announce the winners of their annual event 2009 Volunteer of the Year Awards. The awards, hosted by Baroness Taylor at the House of Commons and supported by SOGB’s Official Partner National Grid, recognised the outstanding contributions of the 2600 volunteers who support the 19 Regions and 135 groups of SOGB’s programme which provides year-round sports training and competition for all people with learning disabilities.
Honoured guests included SOGB Chairman Lawrie McMenemy, MBE, Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, MP, Shadow Minister for Sport, Hugh Robertson, MP, SOGB Ambassadors Olympic canoeist Anna Hemmings, MBE, extreme kayaker Shaun Baker, and polar explorer/Board Member Rosie Stancer.
The winners were chosen by the judges based on their commitment, passion and participation: Athlete Volunteer: Fleur Donohue (West Midlands), Young Volunteer: Andrew Haslam (Southern), Newcomer: Mohammed Kannou (Southern), Corporate: Martina Smith/National Grid (East Midlands), Corporate/Highly Commended: Dave Henderson/National Grid (East Midlands), Sports Coach: Liam DeVanney (South Eastern), Outstanding Contribution: Janet Nolan (Yorkshire & Humberside) and Outstanding Contribution/Highly Commended: Elaine Daykin (West Midlands).
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| Janet Nolan (left) with Baronness Ann Taylor |
Mrs. Janet Nolan of Beverley won the 2009 Outstanding Contribution Award presented by Baroness Ann Taylor.
Janet has spent more than a decade as a full-time supporter of the Special Olympics City of Hull AND Special Olympics Yorkshire and Humberside groups and was instrumental in launching their swimming programmes. Her dedication and enthusiasm is evident in her passion for Special Olympics and the athletes she now calls her friends. She also has a daughter with Downs Syndrome. Janet helps out at competitions and training sessions, with transport, and garners further support through every conceivable networking opportunity she can! Janet is also the Regional secretary and organises the regional swimming and athletics events. For SOGB’s 2009 National Summer Games in Leicester she was Assistant Head of Delegation for the Yorkshire & Humberside team. She is a quiet, unassuming, forward thinking and capable person who ‘makes things happen.’
According to Karen Wallin, SOGB CEO, “Volunteers ensure our unique sports programme takes place on a day to day basis. Whether as a coach, mentor, driver or kit washer, without their support there would be no Special Olympics. It’s great that they can be recognised for their tremendous efforts through our Volunteer Awards.”
The judges for the awards were: AD Durnin, Volunteer Director 2009 SOGB National Summer Games, Leicester; Jay Popat, National Development Officer Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball; Andrew Allen, Lead Coordinator for Learning Disability Lions Clubs International (MD105); Greg Sylvester, Special Olympics GB Athlete and Coach; Mark Pickles, Shared Services Business Change Manager National Grid and part of National Grid Mentoring Scheme.
As part of National Grid’s partnership with the charity, employees go the extra mile and show that CSR is not just an acronym by volunteering their time throughout the year. Over 560 employees have given more than 3,175 hours in company time and 5,466 hours in their own time over the past two years. In this day and age of volunteerism and corporate responsibility, National Grid is lighting the way.
According to Gaye Barber, National Volunteer Manager, “Our volunteers drive our programme – it’s their energy and passion that fuels everything we do.” By 2012, SOGB hopes to double their volunteer work force. For information on volunteering for Special Olympics Great Britain contact: gaye.barber@sogb.org.uk.