Sport Volunteer Award (sponsored by Active Humber)

Award Winner, Jo Newby, Barton Inclusive Football Club Hull

Jo is the lead volunteer at BIFC Hull, combining the role with caring for her family and foster children, as well as running a carers support group. Jo has taken on every role in the club, even stepping in to coach. She organises training sessions, matches and tournaments, books pitches, refs, takes photos, writes match reports, collects fees, stores equipment, and manages social media. She even drives the minibus, but the thing Jo does best is recognising achievements and championing everyone.

Jo established the Hull branch of the team a year ago to enable her adopted son Kasper to play. The 52-year-old from the East Riding said: “I feel truly humbled to receive this award I couldn’t do what I do without all the volunteers around me. I did this because I knew my son needed to play. He has multiple disabilities and giving him a chance has meant that over 50 different children in Hull, who have disabilities, have been able to play sports. It has been worth it. This award is for everyone I work alongside.”

Jo, who has fostered over ninety children, arrived at the awards with the latest additions to her family; premature babies who she is fostering. Jo suffered a broken ankle when the babies first arrived, but she managed to hobble across the arena stage in heels, demonstrating her hero status!

Time2Volunteer Awards delivered by The HEY Smile Foundation and Partners, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Nisa Retail's Charity: Making a Difference Locally and Hull CVS.