The Clean Water Sports Alliance has been announced as the winner of the 2024 SJA Sport for Change Award, sponsored by Altair Ltd.
Each year the Sports Journalists’ Association invites nominations for the prestigious award, which was created in partnership with ConnectSport CIC in 2018, as part of its annual British Sports Awards which this year were supported by Sky Sports.
The Alliance is a group of governing bodies calling for clean and healthy open water across the UK. Collectively the organisations represent 450,000 members, athletes and millions of participants and water users who are impacted each and every day by poor water quality and pollution.
RECEPTION
It was set up earlier this year by British Rowing, British Triathlon, GB Outrigger, Paddle UK, Royal Yachting Association, Swim England and The Angling Trust, and has since grown to 15 organisations with Surfing England, British Kitesport, British Sub-Aqua Club, British Dragon Boat Racing Association, RYA Cymru Wales, Paddle Wales, Welsh Triathlon and Welsh Rowing coming aboard.
The Alliance received its award at a special Parliamentary reception for the SJA British Sports Awards, hosted by SJA president Darren Lewis (pictured below), in central London.
In a joint statement, the Alliance members said: "We are thrilled that the Clean Water Sports Alliance has been honoured with the prestigious Sports Journalism Awards (SJA) Sport for Change Award 2024. The award recognises the importance of collective efforts across the sporting industry to champion environmental stewardship.
"The Clean Water Sports Alliance, comprising of 15 UK and Welsh Water Sport National Governing Bodies (NGBs), came together to share expertise, resources and knowledge to campaign for clean water. We have endeavoured to raise awareness about the importance of clean water for our participants and athletes.
"However, we are also driving tangible change in the way water firms and the UK Government think about the use of blue spaces for recreational use.
"We began with seven founding organisations, and with the addition of our new members, we have now grown to 15. These new members have significantly strengthened the Alliance's efforts to tackle water pollution and promote clean water initiatives across the UK.
INSPIRED
"This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our small yet mighty teams and leaders within each member organisation."
When presenting the award Sky Sports broadcaster Johnny Phillips and Emma Atkins, Director of Sport for Altair (pictured below), commented: "The judges for this award said they were incredibly inspired to learn how so many organisations are using the power of sport and physical activity to create a positive impact.
"The winner of this year’s SJA Sport for Change award sponsored by Altair Ltd is, in fact, not one but several sports governing bodies who during 2024 have come together to take much-needed emergency action around environmental sustainability.
"Judges said that the Clean Water Sports Alliance’s collaborative approach to tackling poor water quality and pollution could, and should act as a blueprint for other sports organisations to follow as we seek to increase the positive impact of sport on people and the planet, influence key decision-makers and drive positive change."
The Alliance was one of six shortlisted groups or organisations attending the Parliamentary reception in London, along with a high-profile audience of athletes, broadcasters, policy-makers and politicians.
Sponsored by Altair, the specialist consultancy which supports organisations with a social purpose, the award seeks to highlight the amazing work of charities and grassroots organisations using sport and/or physical activity to generate positive 'ESG' (environmental, social, governance) outcomes across the UK. As part of the award, Altair will provide free business development and fundraising support.
IMPORTANT
Ashley Broadley, Chair of the Sports Journalists' Association, said: “It is really important that these awards continue to recognise the brilliant work that is being done by organisations and individuals using sport to create a positive impact.”
A panel of judges, comprising national journalists and sport for development experts, considered criteria including impact and reach, scale and difficulty of the issue being tackled, plus innovation and collaboration, when compiling the shortlist.
The other shortlisted organisations were Fight for Peace, Eat Sleep Ride CIC, Let's Get Active Community Enterprise CIC, Muslimah Sports Association, and West Hull Community Hub.
As part of the award, Altair is providing a free business development and fundraising webinar for all nominated organisations, and bespoke support for shortlisted organisations. To find out more about how Altair could support your charity or organisation, visit altairltd.co.uk or email emma.atkins@altairltd.co.uk
ConnectSport is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company which partners with UK Universities to raise awareness and increase investment for local charities and sport for development organisations, which are collectively contributing to globally-recognised Sustainable Development Goals and need more support.
Read about the Sport for Change Award via:
