Sporting chance for home-grown talent

THREE sports enthusiasts who have given up their time to get youngsters fit and active have been nominated for a Pride in Oldham award.

Peter Jackson-Smith and sisters Toni and Chelsie Stott have been nominated by Hathershaw College of Technology and Sport staff for the superb and professional sessions they take there.

It’s the sixth year that Toni has been working on the school’s summer programme, the fifth for Peter and the second for Chelsie.

And while they are all in paid roles for the work they do, they all started as unpaid volunteers.

They all got into sports leadership while still pupils at the school.

They each took a junior sports leader award and then completed 30 hours’ voluntary work, helping out at school and community clubs.

The summer they left school to study at Oldham Sixth-Form College, they completed their community sports leaders awards, with Toni and Chelsie gaining netball qualifications and helping to run the Hathershaw Community Netball Club and Peter achieving a level 1 football qualification and helping with disability sessions.

The school’s director of sport, Lorna Philip, said: “I am so proud of these ex-pupils — they are a credit to the PE department at the college and an excellent example of us growing our own work force.”

She said the quality of the holiday provision the three provided at Hathershaw was superb and very professional, adding: “They are well organised, highly motivated and very firm and fair. They ensure all youngsters are included and try to link them to local clubs. Peter provides a walking bus from Limeside — he can often be seen on Hollins Road walking to the college with up to 10 youngsters following him.

“The attendance at the Hathershaw sessions have been absolutely superb, averaging 65 youngsters each day.”

Toni is in her third year at Huddersfield University and hopes to become a primary school teacher, Peter is going into his third year at Leeds University and is planning to be a PE teacher, while Chelsie will begin studies for a law degree at University Campus Oldham after some fantastic A-level results.

Toni (21) said: “I was quite shocked to be put forward for an award. We did not think we were doing something that dramatic and I’ve been doing it for so long.

“We do get a good number of children attending and they keep coming back so we must be doing something right. I love sport and being around children and I’m training to be a teacher so it’s really good.”

Her sister Chelsie (18) said: “I’m happy and really grateful to be nominated. It’s good to be noticed for doing work in the community.”

Peter said: “It’s quite exciting to be nominated for an award. I was quite surprised. I’m looking to do it for a career so running the sessions is a good experience.”