Our Founder nets Sport NI’s Volunteer of the Year 2019

25 February 2020

Sport Northern Ireland, as the leading public body for the development of sport in Northern Ireland, used another edition of its Sport Maker Awards to pay tribute to the amazing work of Northern Ireland’s sports coaches, officials, volunteers, and clubs at a heartwarming ceremony at Titanic Belfast on Monday evening (Monday 24 February 2020).

It is an annual event where Sport Northern Ireland seeks to recognise coaches, officials, volunteers, and projects who are helping people to enjoy and benefit from the power of sport.

Left to right: George Lucas – Chair, Sport NI, Adekanmi Abayomi (Volunteer of the Year 2019 Winner), Deirdre Hargey (Minister, Dept for Communities), Antoinette McKeown (CEO, Sport NI)

Minister for Communities, Deirdre Hargey MLA, opened the night by welcoming all winners and guests, commenting: “These awards provide the opportunity to reward the vital and integral role that coaches, volunteers and officials play encouraging people to realise the power of sport. Those recognised are all exceptional people in their own right. The hours of selfless dedication, support, and encouragement they have given to their sports have made a very real difference to the athletes and players they have worked with from grassroots participants up to those performing at the highest level.”