A great night full of talent, dedication and commitment was on display at the Fylde Council Sports Awards on Thursday November 1st. The YMCA were privileged to obtain two awards on the night with our very own Chris Nay collecting the Coach of the Year award and in recognition of his service to the local community with over 35 years service to the YMCA, Dave Lean was awarded the Lifetime Achievement. Both winners will go on to represent Fylde at the county Lancashire Sports Awards on November 23rd at the Grand Hotel in Blackpool.
Our fully deserved winners were followed by highly commended awards for the YMCA in the Active Workplace category and the Y:Women Can Project and Your Move Health Walks in the Community Project of the Year category.
Michael Harrison, Senior Marketing Manager said, “We are truly thankful to Fylde Council for recognising our work and to all the staff, volunteers, partners, businesses and members of our local communities who made this possible. We couldn’t have done it without you. Your hard work and dedication is greatly appreciated. It was wonderful to see a huge array of local sporting achievements and deserved winners on the night, plus amazing examples of dedication to the cause. Together, we are making our communities active through sport”
Dave Lean, winner of the Lifetime Achievement award added has committed over 35 years of his life to the YMCA having started his YMCA life as a volunteer at the age of just 16. Over the years that followed, Dave worked at both the St Annes and Lytham sites operating childcare and football programmes, consequently see the rise of the local sport development programmes. Working his way up to the role of centre manager at YMCA St Annes, Dave was instrumental in the centre’s refurbishment at the turn of the millennium. During this time, Dave also volunteered as manager of the local YMCA youth team for over 10 years. Many of his teams celebrated much success and many players went on to play professionally. Due to his continued dedication and unfaltering commitment to the community, Dave secured the role of Dry Site Senior Manager and managed YMCA sites at St Annes, Lytham & Ansdell Arena. Dave has always been dedicated to the YMCA and the communities it serves. Many local young people who have attended the local YMCA and been members of Dave’s YMCA football teams over the years continue to attend in their adulthood. Many are now with children and families of their own who now also attend the many YMCA programmes in the community.
Dave has been a strong and true advocate of the YMCA brand, vision and mission of ‘building strong communities’. With this example of continuous development and progression, Dave continues to cement the YMCA’s vision to build strong communities through a sense of belonging and family orientated activity that cements behaviour change that is innate through future generations
Chris Nay, winner of the Coach of the Year award engages in the promotion and delivery of physical activity sessions for young children and adults in Fylde. By ensuring that children are active and moving, Chris can achieve his goal of reducing the risk of children developing serious health conditions later in life. With childhood obesity across Fylde and Lancashire being a key area of action for healthcare professionals, the work that Chris is doing is helping children get active and stay active. On a weekly basis Chris works with over 1000 young people from 2 primary schools and 11 nurseries within Fylde.
Chris continues to mentor several coaches and volunteers who help him deliver fun and engaging physical activity sessions within schools. Working with young adults who are looking to gain experience as coaches, offering them advice and guidance whilst giving them practical experience in a supportive environment.
