The 2019 Oldham Sports Awards- get prepared!

Date published: 12 September 2019

Get prepared for the glitzy presentation evening at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Oldhamers are now being urged not to miss out on their chance to celebrate with their local sporting heroes at the 2019 Oldham Sports Awards.

The great and the good of the borough's sporting fraternity will converge at the QE Hall on Friday, September 20th 2019.

This year marks the 17th annual award ceremony.

The event allows people from different sporting backgrounds to unite as a community and appreciate each other's efforts in order to help improve the local area, while also congratulating and celebrating the accomplishments of the borough's biggest sporting heroes.

Winners from the Sport's Awards - there are eight categories - will go on to represent the borough at the Greater Manchester Sports Awards later in the year.

The award categories this year are Unsung Hero, Club of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Workforce Advocate of the Year, School Commitment to PE Award, Sports Achiever of the Year, Community Initiative Award and the Changing Lifestyle Award.

Today the Chronicle features the sixth of our eight looks at the award nominees with a focus on the Unsung Hero award.

Four candidates have been nominated:

Abdul Basit

Abdul is a level 2 qualified football coach with over 25 years-experience of delivering football coaching sessions to kids and young people aged 3-16 and veterans over 35.

In May 2017 Abdul suffered a major stroke which left him paralysed on the left side of his body

Wheel-chair bound Abdul has come back to train and coach people in the Oldham area.

Chris Lawton

Chris is dedicated to Oldham GPO FC with a long history in Sunday league football.

He has worked for the post office for 30 years travelling all over the country- with his role leaving him very little time outside of work.

Chris still gives up his time to travel to every Sunday game which the club is extremely appreciative of.

Gareth Evans

Gareth is 50 and has given three quarters of his life to the club.

He has organised countless fundraising events, often alone and with little help from others.

His impact on the club has seen it go from strength to strength and it is now in excess of 10 teams.

Michael Swiffin

Michael began fencing 20 years ago and is now a coach in the sport.

He attends the fencing centre every day, making sure everything is working correctly and allows the fencers to arrive early to use the gym- checking it is up to standard first.

He is seen as very approachable and treats everybody as an individual.

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