On Saturday 25th April Beverley Cooper, pictured, the Development Officer for South Hants Volleyball Club, received the Volunteer of the Year award at the Volleyball England Annual Awards evening at the National Volleyball Centre in Kettering. Players and club officials from across the country gathered at the Volleyball England Annual Awards gala dinner. More than 50 trophies were awarded to players, coaches, officials and volunteers who had made a difference in the volleyball season. In her nomination for a national award, Beverley was described as an “inspirational characterâ€. Beverley was given the award for the notable contribution she had made to the South Hants Volleyball Club and to volleyball in the local area, her achievements in setting up club/school links, running volleyball Go Spike sessions, founding the junior section of the club, coaching the National League Ladies team, visiting schools to introduce volleyball and helping to create a new county league in Hampshire to breach the competition gap between the local and national leagues. Beverley is also a volunteer Ambassador for Naomi House and Jacksplace Children’s and Young Peoples Hospices.
Beverley told Postcode after receiving the award ‘South Hants Volleyball Club are always looking for new players, beginners or experienced, to join and enjoy the Club. The adults section is based at Purbrook Park School. The juniors use Horndean Technology College. I can always be contacted on hantssecretary@gmail.com. ‘I can also tell you about an exciting event happening at our junior volleyball club venue at Horndean Technology College on 6 June. Chris Gregory, a Great Britain volleyball star and a Sport England Sporting Champion will visit the Technology College. Chris is excited about Sport England’s development of satellite clubs such as ours to encourage young people aged between 14-25 years to take an active part in sport for at least 30 minutes every week rather than dropping out.’
The event on 6 June took place before this edition of Postcode was published but details of the Sport England initiative can be seen on www.sportengland.org.