Profiling the finalists in the Sports category
Sponsored by Sports Wales
Hilary Williams
An R.E. teacher at Mountain Ash Comprehensive, Llandaff’s Ms Williams has been an integral part of the Rhondda Ladies hockey club for 20 years.
Sticking around as coach despite the club’s numbers dropping, her tireless volunteer work proved to be the catalyst in it transforming into a family- orientated success boasting a number of teams of all ages and abilities and thriving social itinerary.
It’s also one of the few clubs in Wales to have a two stick accreditation from Hockey Wales.
Robert Muza
Since arriving in Wales as a refugee from Zimbabwe in 2004 Mr Muza from Newport has become a dedicated volunteer with Street Games and a casual community sports coach for Newport council.
Despite not having a stable place to live for himself and his young family at that time he set about trying to ensure young people from marginalised groups across South Wales had the opportunity to play sport in a fun, safe and positive environment on a weekly basis, for which he’s been highly lauded.
Melissa Anderson
Despite having no previous experience, Ms Anderson’s tenure as managing director and head coach of the Valleys Gymnastics Academy go from having fewer than 100 members when it opened in 2011 to meeting its three year target set by Sports Wales by reaching a membership of more than 800.
Offering all manner of physical activities to children of all ages and backgrounds, it’s all overseen by Anderson who volunteers up to 30 hours of her time a week while holding down a full-time lecturer post at Cardiff Metropolitan University and raising an 18-month-old baby.
