The Sport Gives Back Awards delivered an inspirational evening rewarding some of the best work and organisations in Sport for Development.
It was a fantastic night for Greenhouse Sports in applauding and celebrating with our Team for Life award winner Sarah Bonnell School.
Headteacher Rae Potter, Deputy Head, Yamina Bibi, Our Head Tennis Coach Tom Sippy and students, Michelle and Manal, were presented with the award on stage by the brilliant Jeanette Kwakye, Ellie Simmonds and our wonderful ambassador Ama Agbeze MBE
The Awards show was filmed as a special ITV production and will be broadcast exclusively on ITV on Sunday March 24th.
Speaking of Greenhouse in presenting the award, Ama said: ‘Greenhouse Sports really walk the talk in using sport to develop life skills, learning ability in young people, something I know really helped me develop as an athlete and personally. They do that through the magic of the coach and coaching and mentoring model. These coaches like Tom are present and accessible, all day, every day in school. They build these vital relationships through breakfast clubs, after school clubs and sessions during the day. So if a child has something they want to discuss or get off their chest, they have a trusted adult other than a teacher to go to and know they have got their back. And this is all free to every child, and working as they do in poverty-stricken or disadvantaged areas and with underserved communities, this is crucial. We know it is not the lack of ability that can hold a young person back, but the lack of opportunity. I’m really proud to be an ambassador for Greenhouse and be part of the TeamforLife.’
Under Head Teacher Rae, Sarah Bonnell have supported Coach Tom and his programme from the beginning and now 100s of girls play tennis regularly from 7.30am across the day and into the night under the lights in the only outdoor space for play the school has in the heart of Stratford. Congratulations to Sarah Bonnell School, all of the students on Coach Tom’s tennis programme, and all winners on a truly inspiring night for Sport for Development.