Goalball UK have been shortlisted for an RNIB See Differently Award in recognition of their work to grow the sport and get more people with sight loss to participate and promote inclusion.
Goalball UK has been shortlisted in the Team of the Year Award. The award seeks to recognise a team that has made a significant contribution to improving the lives of people who are blind or partially sighted.
The team is committed to growing the sport and as the National Governing Body, with charitable status, the organisation has a new strategy to get more people with sight loss involved to help break down barriers. This also ensures its own sustainability and maintains the high-performance system that has been developed in the UK.
Domestically, 128 teams entered Goalball UK tournaments in 2018/2019 over three levels from 25 clubs. This equalled 722 blind and partially sighted players, with many more attending training sessions across the country. Goalball UK is also responsible for the Great Britain goalball teams. The women’s team have recently finished fourth at the European Championships, beating World Champions Russia along the way.
In relation to being shortlisted, Mark Winder, chief executive officer of Goalball UK said:
“I’m delighted that our wonderful team and volunteers have been nominated. Their dedication, which includes give up some evenings and weekends , has helped the sport thrive. We’ve raised awareness of the sport and introduced a structure to the national league set—up, significantly increasing opportunities for people to participate. It’s great to be recognised for this work.
“We are excited about the future of goalball at all levels. Our next big aim is to increase our volunteer workforce to support the growth in participation of this fantastic sport.
The RNIB See Differently Awards aim to shine a spotlight on the excellent work happening every day across the UK to support people with sight loss. They will highlight the contributions being made to break down barriers, and reward those creating opportunities that enable blind and partially sighted people to live the life they want to lead.
RNIB CEO Matt Stringer said: “The RNIB See Differently Awards will celebrate those who dedicate their time, passion and skills to changing the world for blind and partially sighted people. Our shortlisted National Finalists are all fantastic and we wish them the best of luck.”
The awards recognise exceptional individuals and teams across six categories: Campaigner of the Year, Innovator of the Year, Community Contributor of the Year, Social Media Influencer of the Year, Team of the Year and Employer of the Year.
The award winners will be announced at a ceremony which will take place at the Glaziers Hall, London Bridge on 26 November 2019.
