Nathan Batchelor, Club Secretary for Bessacarr FC and Tina Stringer, Secretary of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Girls County League were both nominated by colleagues and County FA staff in recognition of the hard work and dedication to the game at a local level.
The FA National Workforce Awards are the most prestigious accolade for volunteers in recognition of their services, without which we would not have football. These awards inspire and encourage others to get involved with their local football community, and aid the development of the game securing its future.
Both Nathan and Tina, received their award yesterday (10th August) at the Community Shield match at Wembley. Nathan and Tina accompanied other winners from across the country to the national stadium for a VIP day out, where they were presented with their awards from Welsh International and Liverpool Legend, Ian Rush MBE.
Nathan, from Doncaster was nominated by Mick White, Chairman of Bessacarr FC. Mick said “Nathan dedicates hours of his spare time working for the club managing club affairs, attending meetings, organising tournaments and social events. Without him the club would just be a team playing football on a Sunday morning, because of Nathan we are in fact one of the largest teams in the Doncaster and District Junior Sunday League.
Mick went on to say “On top of all that , he is also a referee for the club and turns out with his whistle every weekend to officiate, sometimes doing more than one match and often at short notice.”
Nathan also adds being a qualified FA Welfare Officer, Bessacarr FC website editor and editor of Tackle, a new Doncaster Sports magazine and Doncaster Rovers fanzine Popular Stand to his list of roles within the Doncaster football community.
Nathan said: "I don't do my football activities for rewards, I do them because I love the game. This award is a great honour for myself, Bessacarr FC and the Doncaster Junior League. Receiving the award at Wembley is something I will never forget."
Tina Stringer receives her award for her work as Secretary of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Girl’s County League. Since the league was formed in 2004, it has gone from strength to strength with numbers on the raise every season, and this success is thanks to Tina.
Julie Callaghan, Girls and Women’s Development Officer for Sheffield and Hallamshire FA and Director of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Girl’s County League, nominated Tina for the National Football Workforce Award.
Julie said: “Tina has been one of the key elements behind the growth of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Girl’s County League, which in four years has gone from nothing to 198 teams competing across Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Worksop and Huddersfield.
Tina goes beyond the call of duty, managing administration duties, implementing procedures and is also an active member of Sheffield and Hallamshire FA Representative Team committee, Coaching and Development Committee and Charter Standard Committee, and is also a Welfare Officer for the league.
Tina said: “I was absolutely gobsmacked when I found out that I would be receiving the award, I feel very proud of my achievement and think that it is nice to be honoured for the work I have put in over the last four years, my VIP day out to collect the award at the home of football was fantastic and I enjoyed every single second.”
Both Nathan and Tina will collect their Sheffield and Hallamshire County FA awards at an award ceremony in the coming months along with 3 other winners from South Yorkshire.