Sporting Paul’s an inspiration to Pendle disabled youngsters (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Sporting Paul’s an inspiration to Pendle disabled youngsters

11:40am Wednesday 27th June 2012 in News By Kate Jackson, Reporter

A sufferer of the condition dyspraxia has won a top award for helping disabled youngsters in Pendle.

Paul Roberts, 20, from Barnoldswick, has been named as the North West Regional winner in The Co-operative Street Games Young Volunteer National Awards.

He earned the accolade for his work leading groups of disabled children in sports activities, including setting up football and basketball skills sessions.

Dyspraxia affects Paul’s communication and co-ordination.

He volunteers as part of Pendle Sports Development’s Volunteer Programme which provides sporting opportunities for young people within the Pendle borough.

Paul, who had attended the project as a participant from the age of 12, said he wanted to give something back through volunteering.

He completed in excess of 275 hours of volunteering work last year.

Paul said: “My mum and dad took me to my very first session to help with my confidence.

“I really enjoyed it and I knew I wanted to help out.

I definitely want to be a sports coach in the future.

“I travel miles to volunteer but I’m committed to it, so the travel is just part of it.

“I was so surprised to win the award. I started to hear something of things they were saying about the winner and thought: ‘That’s me.’”

The Co-operative Street Games Young Volunteers Programme trains volunteers, aged between 16 and 25, in community leadership and sports coaching skills and helps them to gain sports qualifications.

John Downes, national volunteering programme manager for Street Games, said: “Paul has been recognised as the North West regional winner because of his fantastic work in the volunteers programme and the positive impact he has had in helping so many young people in his community access sport.

Without the efforts of volunteers like Paul, young people in deprived neighbourhoods wouldn’t have the sporting chance they deserve.”