Award For Young Volunteer

A volunteer on Conwy County Borough Council Youth Service’s Healthy Image project was named Young Volunteer of the Year at the Wales Sport Awards 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Joe Jones, 19, from Llandudno, a student at Coleg Llandrillo, has been volunteering on the project for 2 years. He gives up his free time in the evenings and at weekends to help promote healthy lifestyles and physical activity to young people in Conwy County. Joe has helped to deliver a wide range of sports sessions including, tennis, cricket, football, dodgeball, badminton and many others. He has also participated in enrichment activities at local secondary schools providing information on the dangers of drugs and smoking. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Healthy Image Project is an initiative funded by the Welsh Government and delivers a range of, exciting and fun sports and exercise sessions around Conwy for young people aged between 11-25 ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chris Gledhill Healthy Image Project Worker said, “Joe is one of our most committed volunteers and we are all very proud of his achievement. He truly deserves this award for the hundreds of hours he has given up to help provide the young people of Conwy with more positive and enjoyable experiences in sport and exercise.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Wales Sport Awards sees BBC Cymru Wales and Sport Wales join forces annually to showcase the very best of elite and grassroots sport in Wales. The awards took place at BBC Hoddinott Hall, Millennium Centre, Cardiff. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Joe summed up his feelings on winning the award, “The Sports Awards was an incredible experience and an honour to have met the Wales football manager Chris Coleman and Wales Sports Personality of the Year, Jade Jones. My experience of the Awards was amazing. For me to be shortlisted was an incredible achievement, however to be able to win the awards was something that I didn’t expect or imagine and if I hadn’t won the award I still would have been proud of what I have achieved. I would want to thank a fellow volunteer Blake Jones for coming to Cardiff and taking the time off work and Chris Gledhill from Conwy Youth service for nominating me for the award and believing in me.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​