The 2023 Everybody Awards Winners Announcement

Media Release

Nominees and winners come together, as one, at the Everybody Awards 2023

Everybody Health and Leisure were overwhelmed by the inspirational stories from individuals, sporting stars and community heroes in Cheshire East. They couldn’t wait to share the below winners from the Everybody Awards 2023 on Friday 13th October, where 150 guests attended the exclusive Crewe Hall in Cheshire.

Everybody welcomed back the fantastic Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Paralympic athlete who returned to host the Awards for 2023.

The Everybody Awards is an annual celebration which recognises the achievements of local heroes in a sport, physical activity or health and wellbeing in Cheshire East, who deserve to be recognised for all of their hard work and dedication in the community.

Sports Personality of the Year – Sponsored by Applewood Independent

Mia Brookes – Snowboarding
Poppy Wood-Wright – Olympics Rhythmic Gymnast
Dominic Bradley – Athletics
Karen Heppenstall – Cross Triathlon

Winner: Mia Brookes

This year Mia stepped onto the World Senior Circuit, competing and making a second place podium in her debut World Cup in Switzerland. Mia travelled alone for the first time with team GB to compete for Great Britain in the World Championships in Georgia, at just 16 and her first World Championship start, Mia took the gold medal, becoming the Youngest ever World Champion and making the World Guinness book of records!

Sports Personality of the Year – Mia Brookes

Community Initiative of the Year – Sponsored by Pure Padel

Congleton Grizzlies – Basketball Club
Andy’s Man Club Macclesfield – Men’s Mental Health
The Crewe Leg Club – Crewe Care Community

Winner: Andy’s Man Club Macclesfield

Andy’s Man Club aims to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and create a judgment-free, confidential space where men can be open about the storms in their lives. Since starting the Macclesfield Branch of Andy’s Man Club, they’ve had men from all walks of life, ages and issues attend. This is usually the first time they have talked about their ‘storms’ and for many attendees the first time they have been listened to. The Club has saved lives, repaired relationships, fixed families and set individuals back on a track to take responsibility for their mental health and situations.

Community Initiative of the Year – Andy’s Man Club

Community Champion of the Year – Sponsored by Technogym & Les Mills

Ben Wye – Active Travel Volunteer
Wendy Howard – Crewe Vagrants Hockey Club
Paul McIntyre – Nantwich Triathlon Club
Ben Guildford – Community Sports Coach

Winner: Wendy Howard

Wendy has been a member of Crewe Vagrants Hockey Club for the last 6 years. Wendy loves hockey and wants everyone to be able to enjoy it as much as her. Wendy embodies the ethos of Crewe Vagrants Hockey Club. Over the last few seasons Wendy has captained the Crewe Vagrants Ladies Over 35s team nicknamed ‘The Dinosaurs’. The team is made up of players from all 4 of Crewe Vagrants Ladies teams and, as you can tell from the nickname, they don’t take themselves too seriously. Everything Wendy does is focussed on getting as many players enjoying the sport as possible, including both children and her husband who, took some persuasion, but is now a regular face at walking hockey.

Community Champion of the Year – Wendy Howard

Unsung Hero Award – Sponsored by Bates Wells

Timothy Isherwood – School Volunteer
David Hubbard – Macclesfield Town Ladies Football Club
Gemma Hamilton – Head Coach at Wilmslow Academy of Gymnastics
Mollie Latham – Women’s Rugby Team

Winner: Timothy Isherwood

Timothy volunteers at Marlfield’s Primary Academy and without doubt meets the definition of a volunteer, often without having been asked to do it and without expecting anything in return. Outside of the time he works within school at the weekly lessons, Timothy organises fun events for the children to set themselves personal challenges and to help fundraise for the RNLI. He has shown himself to be an avid reader of reports, articles and guidance on swimming, its benefits and how to teach it. He has given more of his own time and has proven to be the school’s knowledgeable nominee who has ensured they are up to date with the curriculum.

Unsung Hero Award – Timothy Isherwood

Diversity and Inclusion Award – Sponsored by Refer All

Alsager Swimming Club
Mencap Marvels Beech Hall School – English Channel Swim Squad
Nantwich Triathlon Club

Winner: Mencap Marvels Beech Hall School

Beech Hall Mencap Marvels, are a group of wonderful diverse minded pupils and staff that promotes driven positivity in life with focus and determination with commitment, resilience and team work. The school is an inclusive neurodiverse school which relishes on being unique building skills for the real world. While doing this the swim squad work hard to train for swimming the English Channel in a relay every year, pupils aged 11-15, while raising money for Mencap. It helps the children learn invaluable skills building self-confidence which can be transferred to adulthood.

Diversity and Inclusion Award – Mencap Marvels Beech Hall School

Customer Hero – Sponsored by Cornerstone

Nathan Leese
Elliot & Colin Ainley
David Wood
Paula Leese

Winner: Elliot & Colin Ainley

Elliot is 27 years old and has Cerebral Palsy. The original reason for the referral was because further back that year in April, Elliot had suffered a serious fall resulting in hitting the back of his head resulting in a head injury. Investigations followed and luckily the CT scan showed nothing new, however Elliot has had some physical difficulties to deal with. To help support Elliot in the gym, his dad Colin joined Everybody to ensure Elliot was okay in the gym environment, but also at the same time allowing Colin to improve his own physical health. Since Elliot has completed the 12 week Exercise Referral programme, Elliot and Colin are both still attending the gym two to three times per week, which is a fantastic achievement.

Customer Hero – Elliot & Colin Ainley

Lifetime Achievement – Sponsored by XN Leisure

Winner: David Cattell

David Cattell is a volunteer coach with Crewe Flyers swimming club with 40 years’ experience. Crewe Flyers is a competitive swimming club based at the Crewe Lifestyle Centre. They welcome all swimmers (from level 7 of the Learn to Swim framework upwards) with the aim of developing and coaching the swimmers so that they can compete in local, county, regional and national galas, and championships. David’s coaching style is inclusive and he takes time to understand the needs of all his swimmers regardless of their background or confidence levels. David has a lasting effect on those he has supported over the years and is often stopped in Nantwich or elsewhere when people approach him saying he taught them to swim.

Lifetime Achievement – David Cattell

Chairman’s Award – Sponsored by Hibbert’s Solicitors

Winner: Torbjorn

Andrew Kolker, Chairman at Everybody Health and Leisure has chosen this deserving winner from the nominations that were submitted this year. The award recognises exceptional commitment and achievement from an individual to their sport and is a true inspiration to their community.

Being from a motorcycle family, Torbjorn has ridden in international motorcycle trials since the age of 16, but when competing he had a very nasty ‘get off’ and was pinned beneath the bike against a hard rock. After treatment at Furness General Hospital for a collapsed lung and internal trauma, the specialist said he needed to get an activity to strengthen his breathing. Torbjorn decided to run the London Marathon in 2003. He contacted The Rossendale Trust who were asking for runners in the event and got an entry under their banner. He has competed for them for the last 20 years. For the last six years he has organised a motorcycle charity trial for Rossendale called the Tower Trophy and in 2019, he was awarded the Mayor of Macclesfield’s Civic Award as Sports Personality of the Year for his achievements for Rossendale.

Chairman’s Award – Torbjorn

Follow Everybody on social media and visit their website for anyone who wants to find out more about the Everybody Awards 2024 and how you can get involved.

Ends.

Notes to Editor

Everybody Health and Leisure are a registered charity which aims to provide ‘leisure for life’ by improving the health and wellbeing of local communities. The charity operates 16 leisure facilities including 9 swimming pools and 7 Taste for Life cafes across the Cheshire East region, and delivers a range of targeted health, sports and disability and inclusion programmes. For more information please visit: www.everybody.org.uk or follow on Facebook @EverybodyHealthLeisure and Instagram @ebleisure

Media Contact

Name: Matt Shannon

Organisation: Everybody Health and Leisure

Email: [email protected]