Friday, May 27, 2011

Teenage volunteer wins Barclays award

Rabiya Ahmed has won the Barclays Community Sports Award of the Season for providing sport schemes for ethnic minority women.

Over the last two years Rabiya, from Preston, has worked in a voluntary capacity with the Fishwick Rangers Youth Development Scheme, establishing a number of schemes for women from ethnic minorities who previously did not take part in any sporting activities.
Rabiya has managed to increase the numbers of ethnic minority women participating in football, runs a number of football teams, and has set up swimming and fitness sessions to increase sporting participation amongst ethnic minority women who have suffered from social exclusion. She has also managed to encourage a further 25 women to become volunteers like herself.


Due to her commitment to the local community and the positive effect she has had on the women in Preston, Rabiya has been chosen as the first winner of the Barclays Community Sports Award of the Season that is backed by Barclays Spaces for Sports, the Premier League and the Football Foundation.
Commenting on winning the award Rabiya said: "I am delighted to have my work recognised by winning this award. I wanted to increase participation among women in Preston and the prize money will be a great help in continuing the Fishwick Rangers Youth Development Scheme".
Gareth Southgate, who heads up the judging panel for the award, said: "Rabiya is a worthy winner of the Barclays Community Sports Award. Her work is a credit to herself and her family, and I hope will be an inspiration for others to become involved with community sport. I am particularly impressed with the increase in numbers of women participating in sport thanks to her volunteering."
As the end of season award winner Rabiya won £5,000 and a VIP trip to London to receive her award from Gareth Southgate at the League (of) Managers Association Annual Dinner.
A new awards programme will begin in August 2011. To find out more information simply visit www.barclayscommunitysportsaward.com

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