Finalists announced for the 2019 Greater Manchester Mayor’s Award

By GreaterSport | 18 October 2019 | TAGS: GM Moving, GMSportsAwards

The Greater Manchester Mayor’s Award recognises an individual or organisation who is showing outstanding commitment to Greater Manchester Moving and the plan’s twelve priorities to increase activity across our county. This commitment could be as part of their day job or it could be a voluntary role they take on in the local community.

Finalists

Diane Modahl MBE

Diane is hugely passionate about young people and sport and through founding the registered charity Diane Modahl Sports Foundation (DMSF), she has enabled countless children from poverty stricken backgrounds to become fit, active and part of a supportive team. Diane works tirelessly to make sport fun and attractive to young people who may have previously been unmotivated, unfit or having serious problems in life. The home of DMSF is a hub of high energy, with children feeling comfortable to express themselves and enjoy physical activity. Diane leads with passion, resilience and never-faltering can-do attitude which naturally rubs off on the children the foundation supports, who not only become more active, improve their own health, well-being and fitness levels, but become valuable, contributing members of the community.

Ben Andrews

Ben has spent ten years developing Empower You, supporting disabled people to do physical activity. He works with young people and adults with learning, physical and sensory impairments. Ben’s approach directly enables disabled people to sustain independent physical activity, both individually and in groups. He also trains both leisure and care professionals in working with disabled people. This both increases activity levels and the income of leisure providers. He influences policy and strategy for active lives, ensuring that provision is made accessible and appropriate for disabled people. Other than Paralympians, disabled people are rarely reflected in marketing on physical activity. Ben is working to change this, enabling visual reflection in marketing, as well as his own series of videos on physical activity by disabled people.

Kirsty Rowlinson-Groves

An expert fitness instructor Kirsty developed and led the successful CAN:Move cancer exercise referral scheme in Salford. Kirsty is now the GM Active Programme Manager for the region wide Prehab4Cancer programme. Her ‘can-do’ attitude, plus expert knowledge was crucial in the co-design and delivery of this innovative scheme. It will enable 2,000 GM residents diagnosed with cancer to engage in physical activity for improved clinical outcomes and lifetime benefits. Many have been sedentary prior to participating; Kirsty’s knowledge, experience, warmth and empathy helping them start and crucially, continue exercising throughout their cancer pathway and beyond. She is a fantastic role model to her staff and the healthcare professionals involved in Prehab4Cancer, making the seemingly impossible, possible.