Congratulations to PACE and one of our Team Leaders, Saad Ahmad, on receiving the Inclusive and Active Award and the Adult Volunteer of the Year Award respectively at the recent Ealing Sports Awards 2018 ceremony which took place at the William Perkin C of E School in Greenford. 

The Ealing Sports Awards, sponsored by Everyone Active, were aimed at recognising the talents and achievements of Ealing’s multitude of sports clubs, inspirational volunteers and fantastic sporting individuals. After receiving nominations in five of the nine categories, PACE and all its members were recognized for their work, ensuring active participation in sport and physical activity by people of all ability levels, from grassroots to international level.

Receiving the Inclusive and Active Award, PACE was recognized as having made a significant impact in the development and delivery of sport and physical activity opportunities for people with a disability and/or additional needs. 

Krishna Birdy, Founder of PACE, said,

It is an honour for PACE to receive this Award. Our aim has always been for active participation in sport and physical activity by all, regardless of ability levels. By making activities accessible, our members can work towards achieving their best, whether it be at grassroots level sport or international level. Credit goes to our volunteers who are the backbone of PACE and we are very lucky that through them, we have been able to offer opportunities for our members to progress and change not only their own lives but the lives of the whole family.”

Saad J Ahmad, a senior PACE Team Leader, who has been with PACE for just over eight years, received the Adult Volunteer of the Year Award for his commitment, enthusiasm and reliability and ensuring our members are always actively engaged in not just in sport but any activity that may aid them in becoming more aware of the world around them.

On receiving the award, Saad said…

I began volunteering at PACE around 8 wonderful years ago, as I wanted to do something that would help and encourage young people to develop their self-esteem and become more confident in all aspects of life. Fortunately for me, I found PACE on a website – DoIt.org and got in touch with Krishna who invited me to attend a session, and well the rest is history, as they say.

It is always a wonderful feeling, to be recognised for what you’ve done and to have a feeling that you’ve made some sort of impact, big or small, in whatever you do. At the awards ceremony, I recall the first award to be announced was the Adult Volunteer of the Year, which took me by surprise. The other 2 nominees in the same category were announced and after hearing the reasons for their nominations, I was humbled and felt that one of them may win it, I really didn’t think it could or would be me. The next thing I knew, my name was announced and I was up in front of the audience, shaking hands with the presenter and receiving my award, it was a truly incredible, amazing and humbling moment in my life and an amazing feeling to think that I would be considered or nominated, let alone be awarded for my voluntary work at PACE.

I think that all of the Volunteers at PACE do a tremendous job and I know I volunteer alongside some incredibly hard working and dedicated volunteers who give up their time and make a valiant effort to attend sessions, in order to make PACE an enjoyable and inclusive Club for all of our members. I want to say thank you to Krishna and everyone at PACE for the nomination and for making my time and the last 8 years at PACE, such a wonder experience and I hope there are many more of those moments, yet to come in the future.”

These awards are testament to all the hard work of Team Leaders, Volunteers, and members do to make PACE such a vibrant and welcoming community. Thank you!