The Goalden Globe Awards 2007 took place on Saturday 1st September at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham. The evening was a great success, with over 72 Volunteers being recognised for their voluntary contribution to the development of netball.

Seven Companies kindly sponsored the event. They were: 

• Mitre
  Main event sponsor and sponsor of the Long Service Award
• Team Colours
  Sponsor of the Young Volunteer of the Year Award
• Ball Hall Sponsor of the Community Volunteer of the Year Award
• Mercer Print Sponsor of the Netball Teacher of the Year Award and the programme
• Asics Sponsor of the Nextgen Award
• Harrod UK
  Sponsor of the Rose Award
• Netball UK Sponsor of the Muriel McNally Award

 

The Awards

Three Honorary Life Memberships were awarded and one person was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Honorary Life Memberships went to:

Kendra Slawinski 

Pat Meadows 

Phyllis Ridgewell

Colette Thomson was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Long Service Award

This award is presented to volunteers who have made a notable contribution to the development of netball over a significant period of time. England Netball Long Service Awards recognise the contribution of volunteers who have used their invaluable experience to give outstanding service willingly and selflessly for over 25 years.

The 2007 Long Service Award recipients were:

• Pat Arnott - Staffordshire County Netball Association
• Jacqueline Ashworth - Greater Manchester County Netball Association
• Val Bentley - Humberside County Netball Association
• Margaret Chambers - Tyne and Wear County Netball Association
• Kathleen Edwards - Greater Manchester County Netball Association
• Val French - North Yorkshire
• Julie Hackworthy - South West Region
• Pauline Hardy - Humberside County Netball Association
• Sylvia Harrison - Worcestershire County Netball Association
• Jenny Harrold - Middlesex County Netball Association
• Val Kennedy - North Yorkshire County Netball Association
• Gloria Keech - East Region
• Val Kindred - East Midlands Region
• Chris Laundy - East Region
• Jean Lockyer - East Dorset County Netball Association
• Denise Lodge - Cheshire County Netball Association
• Marion Lofthouse - North West Region
• Gina MacGregor M.B.E - South Region
• Caroline Mackenzie - Old Chelts Netball Club
• Raymond Marsh - East Dorset County Netball Association
• Gill Mason - North East Region
• Marlene Morton Holmes - Essex Thurrock County Netball Association
• Anne Spracklan - London and South East Region
• Mary Turnbull - Wolverhampton City Netball League
• Eileen Witts - Lawn Netball Club

Details of the awards and the Regional and National Competitive Award Winners are below.

Netball Teacher of the Year Award

This award recognises a teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of Netball in school, outside of their statutory teaching responsibilities.

The Regional Winners in this category were:

• Lucy Allen - West London Academy
• Salli Anne Byrne - Whitecross School
• Tracy Clark - Whitecross High School
• Rebecca Crisp - Dove House Special School
• Teresa Hames - John Cleveland College
• Julie Kimber - Boldon School
• Helen Paul - Kirby Stephen Grammar School
• Sue Wilkinson - Moulsham School

The National Netball Teacher of the Year Award 2007 Winner was Helen Paul from Kirby Stephen Grammar School.

Helen currently coaches 6-year groups within her school, giving up every lunchtime and attending after school fixtures. This commitment is often more than ten hours per week.

Helen is keen to develop links with Northern Thunder and takes girls from a number of schools to participate in their play days. She has also organised numerous trips for students to watch Super League and International matches.
 
Helen encourages students to become involved with volunteering in Netball. She runs Young Netball Organiser courses at the school and has organised a Beginners Awards Umpire Course. The students are then encouraged to umpire in house matches and to assist in the organisation of tournaments run throughout the year.

Rose Award

This award is presented to a volunteer or an organisation, which has made a notable contribution to the development of netball at any level, regardless of time served.

The Regional Winners in this category were:

• Carol and Dickon Adams - Sussex County Netball Association
• Helen Bowden - Hertfordshire County Netball Association
• Dawn Cox - Ashford Netball League
• Denise Ellis - West Devon County Netball Association
• Sharon Lincoln - Thoroughbreds Netball Club
• Christopher Perks - Cheshire County Netball Association
• Rachael Radford - South Yorkshire County Netball Association
• Carol Spencer - Derbyshire County Netball Association

The National Rose Award 2007 Winner was Sharon Lincoln from Thoroughbreds Netball Club.

Sharon developed the clubs junior section 13 years ago. She did this by creating school club links with local middle schools. The initial set up involved 20 junior’s aged 12. The club now boasts 12 junior squads. Since then, Sharon has been involved in establishing the local junior league and organising numerous tournaments and festivals. 

Sharon organises annual awards ceremonies to celebrate and reward both players and volunteers alike.

Sharon has recently established links with the local School Sports Partnership to develop High Five. A tournament with over with over 17 schools participating was arranged with players invited to join Thoroughbreds Netball Club.

Community Volunteer of the Year Award

This award is made to a volunteer who has made a notable contribution to the development of netball within the community.

The Regional Winners in this category were:

• Anna Brookes - Brighton Netball Club
• Gill Coleman - Melton Gold
• Lesley Crosthwaite - Norfolk United Netball Club
• Jonathan Kirby - West London Junior Netball League
• Sarah Rowe - Weston Mill Primary School
• Ursula Smith - Tean Valley Netball Club
• Faye Summerhill - Grangetown Netball Club

The National Community Volunteer of the Year Award 2007 Winner was Jonathan Kirby from West London Junior Netball League.

Having recognised a lack of provision of competition for junior players, Jonathan introduced the West London Junior Netball League in 2005. The league is slowly growing, and teams train weekly and play matches on a Sunday. Jonathan has also introduced on Open Cup tournament to raise awareness for his league.

Jonathan has established a number of school and club links because of the league, encouraging one Ealing School to enter three teams last years. He has continually sought funding from external sources to ensure that all teams within the league are properly equipped.

Jonathan is keen to make the league grow. He is currently working closely with the Sports Development team to create mentoring opportunities for young players, by organising coaching and umpiring courses.

Muriel McNally Award

This award is presented to a volunteer who has made a notable contribution to the development of netball, at grassroots level, over a significant period of time.

The Regional Winners in this category were:

• Claire Annall - Barge and Bottle Netball Club
• Lesley Crosthwaite - Norfolk United Netball Club
• Sally Essex - Academy Netball Club
• Pat Harper - Wokingham Netball Club
• Liz Hughes - Concord Netball Club
• Christina Martin - Sydenham Netball Club
• Donna McLeod - Saracens Netball Club
• Geraldine Williams - Grangetown Netball Club
• Mavis Yates - Greater Manchester County Netball Association

The National Muriel McNally Award 2007 Winner was Mavis Yates from the Greater Manchester County Netball Association. 

  
Mavis has been committed to grassroots development for over 50 years continuously and is still actively committed. She started as a club player on leaving school, but was very quickly involved in a voluntary officiating role.

Since then, no request to fill a role has ever been refused, from the diversity of chair and secretary of the Greater Manchester County Netball Association, Youth Games Coach, netball representative on the North West Regional Sports Council, President of Bolton Ladies Netball League, to litter patrol at tournaments.

Mavis has undertaken numerous qualifications and workshops, including gaining her Level 2 Coaching Award, Umpire Tutors Accreditation, Running Sport workshops and Long Term Athlete Development Course.

Whatever help, advice, or support has been requested the need has been fulfilled with unfailing enthusiasm.

Young Volunteer of the Year

This award is made to recognise the achievements of a young person who has made a notable contribution to netball.

The Regional Winners in this category were:

• Lauren Addison - Trinity Netball Club
• Charlotte Parkin - Hinckley Ladies Netball Club
• Andrea Semmonds - Brannel Netball Club
• Sam Thompson - Haxby Netball Club
• Charlotte Walsh - Trafford Juniors
• Sarah Williams - Worcestershire County

The National Young Volunteer of the Year Award 2007 Winner was Lauren Addison from Trinity Netball Club.

Lauren has been volunteering at Trinity Netball Club for three year’s. She began by assisting with the High Five section. She is now the lead coach and team manager of this section, while also coaching and umpiring the U12’s.

Lauren regularly coaches in schools and has coached and managed teams for the Oxfordshire Youth Games. She organises trips for club members to attend Super League matches, which involves booking tickets, arranging transport and communicating with parents.

Lauren has attended a number of courses and workshops, both generic and netball specific to assist in her development. She is a Level 1 Coach and has attended the C Award Umpiring Course. Lauren is proving to be a valuable role model for other budding young volunteers in the club who say they want to ‘do what Lauren does’.

Nextgen Award

This award is presented to an organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to developing and supporting their netball volunteers.

The Regional Winners in this category were:

• Sheffield Concord Netball Club - Yorkshire and Humberside Region
• Tibberton Netball Club - West Midlands Region
• Turnford Netball Club - East Region
• Verwood Town Netball Club - South West Region
• YWCA Bury Junior Netball Club - North West Region

The National Nextgen Award 2007 Winner was YWCA Bury Junior Netball Club from the North West Region.

YWCA Bury Junior NC has 17 junior teams in various leagues, all of which are run with their large pool of volunteers. Volunteers are recruited each year to support the new U11 team. They are inducted into the club and are encouraged to undertake their Level 1 and 2 Coaching Qualifications. The club has a mentor who mentors the coaches in each age group.

Players are also encouraged to become volunteers. Currently 10 juniors players are qualified and umpire in the Greater Manchester Junior League. A senior umpire mentors them and one junior is now mentoring her peers.

YWCA are keen to ensure that their volunteers feel valued and they do this by buying flowers for volunteers birthdays, organising an annual presentation evening and having a club celebration evening to celebrate their volunteers.