DERRY City and Strabane District Council’s Move More Co-ordinator Sean Hargan is celebrating yet more recognition after the Macmillan Cancer Support Move More NI team were awarded the Coaching Project of the Year award at the Sport NI 2018 SportMaker Awards at Titanic Belfast.
The SportMaker Awards are an expansion of the Sport NI Coaching Awards and recognise the contribution of local coaches, officials, volunteers and projects that make a difference in helping people here enjoy, engage and excel in local sport.
The MacMillan Move More initiative is a partnership between physical activity providers, local councils and health and social care trusts all over Northern Ireland and has already helped hundreds of local people living with cancer to understand and enjoy the benefits of physical activity.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor John Boyle, sent his congratulations to Sean and the Macmillan Move More team.
“I am delighted that the outstanding and ground breaking work of the MacMillan Move More team and our own local Co-ordinator Sean Hargan has been recognised by Sport NI.
“The initiative has already had a positive and life changing effect on the lives of many local people living with a cancer diagnosis by giving them access to the support and encouragement they need to develop and sustain an active lifestyle through physical activity.
“I would like to congratulate the Move More team on this award and wish them continued success.”
In the last twelve months 700 Move More participants have taken part in a range of sporting activities including cycling, walking, swimming and cancer specific circuit classes across Northern Ireland and the initiative has had over 2,000 clients and 20,000 contact times since its inception.
Through the project, Move More Co-ordinators work with participants to identify and access suitable activities that fit in with the individual’s lifestyle in order to ensure sustained engagement in sport and physical activity.
The award winners at Titanic Belfast were joined by silver medallists from the Ireland Women’s Hockey team Shirley McCay, Zoe Wilson, Katie Mullan and Lizzie Colvin who took some time out of their busy training schedule to reflect on the highs and lows if their momentous World Cup journey last year.
Speaking at the event Sport NI Chair George Lucas said: “At Sport NI, we are passionate about supporting everyone here to develop and reach their sporting goals, from playground right through to podium.
“We know that local clubs and our outstanding sporting workforce are at the heart of making sport happen.
“Sometimes, it can be easy to forget the work that’s done behind the scenes, or to take for granted the difference it makes.
“That’s why we’re so honoured to be hosting this event.”
