Staff and students at Bridgwater & Taunton College have been recognised for their performance, hard work and positive mind-set during the past year.

The Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership (SASP) Awards were set up to recognise volunteers, coaches, athletes and clubs who inspire great talent and make sport so successful across Somerset.

Overall there were 12 awards up for grabs. Bridgwater & Taunton College students and staff were delighted to be shortlisted for 4 out of the 12 categories, and though we didn’t pick up any winner’s awards we were proud to finish in the runner up position to some amazing volunteers, athletes and sports initiatives.

Leah Burridge, the College’s Sports Development Apprentice, was shortlisted for the ‘Contribution to School/College Sports’ award. Leah has gone above and beyond what is expected of her. She has been an inspiring and motivational young role model, tasked with engaging 100 female participants to take part in football and become more active. By the end of 10 months Leah has already engaged over 800 students in the community.

Level 3 Sport student Jess Bull was shortlisted for the ‘Young Volunteer of the Year’ award. Jess’ infectious hard work as a BTC Activator and This Girl Can Ambassador and her desire to help others earned her the nomination.

Thierry-Jo Gauvain was shortlisted for the ‘Somerset Young Sports Performer of the Year’. TJ currently plays football for Yeovil Town Ladies, and made her debut earlier this year against Arsenal. She also represented Wales in Denmark in the 2017 Women’s European U17s Championship.

The BTC Active programme was shortlisted for the ‘Get Somerset Active Award’.
BTC Active strives to support and encourage students to lead healthier and more active lifestyles through planned interventions to tackle inactivity across all three of the College’s campuses.

Nathan Dyte, Tackling Inactivity Project Lead, said, “It was an honour to be shortlisted for the ‘Get Somerset Active’ award, it shows that the programme and the hard work and dedication of our staff is recognised in the county as best practise.  We were shortlisted alongside two extremely successful and brilliant initiatives; the Somerset Striders and the Man vs Fat Football initiative are doing some fantastic work. Congratulations to Somerset Striders on winning the award and thank you to SASP for a fantastic night.”