Project set up by coalition of national governing bodies scoops annual award, supported by Connect Sport CIC and Altair Ltd; CWSA collects prize at special Westminster reception to mark the SJA British Sports Awards 2024…
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 SJA British Sports Awards.
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.
The Alliance was set up earlier this year by British Rowing, British Triathlon, GB Outrigger, Paddle UK, Royal Yachting Association, Swim England and The Angling Trust, with Surfing England, British Kitesport, British Sub-Aqua Club and British Dragon Boat Racing joining in September.
The Alliance received its award at a special Parliamentary reception for the SJA British Sports Awards in central London on Monday night.
Presenting the award, Sky Sports broadcaster Johnny Phillips and Emma Atkins, Director of Sport for Altair, 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 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.”
🏆Congratulations to @CleanWaterSport Alliance for winning the @SportSJA 'Sport for Change' Award 👉🏽 https://t.co/lT4I89cojv
— ConnectSport (@ConnectSportCIC) December 9, 2024
Great to have Sky Sports' Johnny Phillips and Altair director of sport Emma Atkins present the award during tonight's #SJA2024 Parliamentary reception pic.twitter.com/AVIEVbAI9k
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.
The panel of judges for the Sport for Change Award, 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.
Previous winners of the award have included The Wave Project, Salaam Peace, Panathlon, Marcus Rashford and Ebony Rainford-Brent.
Click here to read about the other shortlisted organisations for the SJA Sport for Change 2024 award, which were…
- Let’s Get Active Community Enterprise CIC
- Eat Sleep Ride CIC
- West Hull Community Hub
- Fight for Peace
- Muslimah Sports Association
The SJA thanks Altair Ltd and ConnectSport CIC for supporting the Sport for Change Award.
Altair is a consultancy which specialises in strategy, fundraising, governance and people development, and has worked with some of the world’s leading organisations in sport for development, including Laureus and FIFA, as well as smaller, impactful community-based initiatives across the UK.
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.