The annual celebration pays tribute to those who show dedication at a range of sporting, health, and wellbeing activities at all levels, and those who work tirelessly to support individuals or community clubs, for the love of the sport or their community.
Winners were announced at a glittering ceremony at Burnley Mechanics hosted by have-a-go BBC sports presenter and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant, Mike Bushell.
Mike is well known for presenting bulletins on TV and radio and has personally sampled nearly 400 different sports and activities during his Saturday morning slot on BBC Breakfast.
His wealth of experience of covering big sporting events includes reporting and presenting on the Olympics, Paralympics, Winter Olympics, football World Cups, Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, where an interview with English swimmers went viral when he fell in a swimming pool during a live interview on BBC Breakfast.
Scroll down to see the full list of winners:
5. Active Burnley Awards 2024 – Primary School of the Year
Staff from St Joseph’s Park Hill: Miss Grillo, Sport Subject Lead, Mrs Taylor, Early Years Practice and Forest School Lead, Mrs Whitehead, Head Teacher, and Mrs Windle, Learning Support Assistant. Teaching pupils to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle is one of the school’s core values and it underpins everything they do. Every school day, children take part in the Daily Mile, adding up the miles they run to win marathon wristbands. All pupils take part in weekly forest school lessons which include orienteering and regular walks. All Key Stage 2 pupils attend weekly swimming lessons, and the school holds its own annual swimming gala for all children from years 2 to 6. Targeted intervention is provided to pupils who require support with fundamental movement skills and Bikeability is taught at KS2. All this is in addition to timetabled PE, games, and dance lessons. St Joseph’s has achieved the Platinum School Games Mark since 2018 and is on target to achieve it again this year. Photo: ANDY FORD
6. Active Burnley Awards 2024 – Health and Wellbeing Award
Mark Smedley works with a number of agencies and organisations to help improve the health and wellbeing of young people and adults. He works as a fishing coach, educating all ages, and provides a valuable experience in the outdoors.Mark also works with local primary schools, often supporting those who struggle with classroom-based work, and also with those who have been rewarded for achieving goals within school. He receives referrals from social prescribers for adults who are suffering with isolation and mental health.Mark has a group of volunteers who support him to get all participants out into the fresh air, bringing people together, and engaging in a new activity and making new friends. The team supports participants from different backgrounds and provides accessible, supportive, and safe environments for them. Photo: ANDY FORD
7. Active Burnley Awards 2024 – Burnley Together Partnership Award
Burnley Together Partnership Award winner Family Hubs represented by Sue Hopkinson, Team Manager, Daniel Fort, Shine Walk Leader, Lian Frankland, Co-founder Shine Coaching. The Children and Family Well-being Service, part of Children’s Services for Lancashire County Council, is supporting the development of the Family Hub Network across the borough. The Family Hub Network works collaboratively with other early help providers offering support to children, young people, and their families. Their aim is to understand the needs of the community and make connections to services across the borough, ensuring they are working together with shared outcomes and effective governance. The network has celebrated many successes in Burnley since its official launch in September 2023. These include a new service delivered by East Lancashire Hospital Trust Maternity Tobacco Dependency Team, which supports mums-to-be to quit smoking. A partnership between Children and Family Well-being Service and Shine Coaching has seen the development of a weekend activity session engaging dads, male carers, and their children in guided walks in a local park. These are just some of the many successful partnerships that have developed under the Family Hubs network in Burnley. Photo: ANDY FORD
8. Active Burnley Awards 2024 – Individual Contribution to Active Communities
Lianne Bruce has run Basically Cheer and Fitness for a number of years and choreographs routines for each of the different age categories. With the cost-of-living crisis still biting, Lianne does a great job with various raffles and fundraising to help with costs for all students. In addition, she runs a fitness class every week - one of the many activities she organises, which include toddlers’ dance classes, children’s holiday clubs, and exercise sessions for the more active. Lianne has successfully received funding to host and deliver dance and coffee mornings at Cliviger village hall, offering the sessions for free to encourage people to get out and meet others in their area. The coffee morning is a great place for elderly residents to meet, chat, share, and make new friends. Her armchair exercise sessions are particularly popular and enable the elderly group to achieve a level of fitness. Photo: ANDY FORD