Gladstone steps up to the mark for the Oxfordshire Sports Awards

Left to right, Tim Hampson receives his award from Gladstone CEO Dr Said Ziai and canoeing world champion Anna Hemmings

Gladstone Health & Leisure, the Oxford-based leading provider of innovative software solutions and services to leisure facilities in the UK and worldwide, was proud to be a key sponsor at this year's Oxfordshire Sports Awards. The awards ceremony, which took place on Friday 7th November at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford, was attended by more than 250 VIPs from the Oxfordshire sports scene including 36 finalists, 9 Olympians and 2 Paralympians.

Gladstone Health and Leisure sponsored the Coach of the Year Award, a closely fought and popular category. The judges at the ceremony included the BBC's Jerome Sale and Brennan Nicholls, and after much consideration, were able to produce a shortlist of three; Ed Isard, a tennis coach, Lindsay Powell a swimming coach, and Tim Hampson an athletics coach. All three finalists attended the event in anticipation of taking home the converted award.

The eventual winner was Tim Hampson, who dedicates himself to coaching junior athletics. Tim also manages the athletics squad at the Oxfordshire Youth Games 2008 on a voluntary basis, and runs in-demand track courses for the Vale and South Oxfordshire District Councils Easter and Summer holiday programmes 2008.

Although Tim has been a UK Athletics Level 2 Coach for many years, he has continued to achieve by recently obtaining his Level 4 Masters Coach award for throwing. Tim also mentors junior coaches and parent/adult athletes. Through continued hard work Tim takes every opportunity to promote athletics and to encourage youngsters to join a local club.

Tim was extremely humble saying, "This is for all the coaches in Oxfordshire who are doing the same as me."

Gladstone plc CEO, Dr Said Ziai was on-hand to present Tim with his award and a sports bag gift from Gladstone. "Gladstone is delighted to have the opportunity to support local sports events," Dr Ziai said. "Being a coach and passing on your years of knowledge and experience is vital to encourage younger people to get involved in sport and it's the coach's enthusiasm and dedication which does this."

Other winners on the night included Imogen Shayler who won Junior Sportsperson of the Year, Claire Lasko was named Sportswoman of the Year, and double Olympic gold medalist Steve Williams MBE won Sportsman of the Year. Gladstone congratulates all of the award winners on their fantastic achievements.

13 November 2008