WSA Sports Industry Awards 2024 winners announced on memorable night
The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) is thrilled by the success of the second edition of the WSA Sports Industry Awards, which took place on the evening of Thursday 6 June 2024, with a new crop of winners announced.
Once again held at the beautiful Parkgate Hotel with headline sponsors Complete Background Screening, it was an evening of celebration as the very best in Wales’ sport and leisure sector were recognised by a room full of peers, partners and key stakeholders.
The WSA would like to congratulate the eight winners, as well as all this year’s nominees and applicants. It was incredible to have even more submissions than last year, all of which were of such quality that showcase so many best practise examples across the sector, and all of which will be shared with key stakeholders at Sport Wales and within Welsh Government.
Before any of the eight award winners were revealed, host Lauren Jenkins introduced South Wales-based spoken-word poet Duke Al Durham to the stage, who captured the room as he performed a piece specific to the Awards and the 250 people sat in front of him.
Lauren then handed the sold-out room over to WSA Chair Lynn Pamment CBE.
Addressing attendees, Lynn went on to discuss the role of the WSA within the sector as well as the impact of the Welsh Sports Foundation and its current pilot project period, before thanking all attendees and nominees.
The 2024 WSA Sports Industry Awards were presented as follows:
- The award for Most Influential Campaign, sponsored by Hugh James, to Weightlifting Wales for the Raise the Bar campaign.
- The Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity, sponsored by Complete Background Screening, to the FAW for the BE Football Schools Programme.
- The award for Best Commitment to the Welsh Language, sponsored by Floodlighting and Electrical, to The Outdoor Partnership for their Bant a Ni project.
- The Best Innovation Award, sponsored by Sportscover Europe, to the Welsh Rugby Union for their PLAYER.Connect technology.
- The Best Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, sponsored by Acorn by Synergie, to Bellevue FC (nominated by the FAW) as a multi-ethnic and inclusion-specfic football club.
- The award for Best Sustainability Initiative, sponsored by Sport:80, to Dragons Rugby for their Eco Dragons campaign.
- The Best Social Impact Initiative, sponsored by 2buy2, to Aura Leisure Wales for their Community Sports Hub.
- The Best Collaboration Initiative, sponsored by Net World Sports, to Disability Sport Wales for the 2023 DSW Para Sport Festival.
From grassroots clubs to National Governing Bodies to national leisure providers, it is particularly pleasing to see a range of organisations and bodies submit for and pick up these awards.
Between award-giving, winners of the night’s raffle prizes were announced, with donations going to the Welsh Sports Foundation. The WSA would like to thank guests for contributing to the important work of the WSF, and member organisations WRU, Dragons Rugby, Glamorgan Cricket and Swim Wales, as well as partner Acorn by Synergie and the Parkgate Hotel, for offering generous prizes.
And following, a broadcast of Duke’s poem The Seed, to represent the power of sport for change and growth, the event was rounded off by an unforgettable performance of Wales at the West End.
We would once again like to offer our congratulations to all applicants, nominees and finally winners of this year’s WSA Sports Industry Awards.
“We were once again blown away by the quality of submissions this year, and thrilled that we had even more to whittle down from than last year,” stated WSA CEO Andrew Howard, who also thanked the room following the presentation of awards.
“We’re absolutely delighted with another successful night, and hope everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly on what was a memorable occasion for the sector.
“It is vitally important to give our members this platform to showcase the exceptional work that goes on behind the scenes in sport and leisure, and we’re happy to have once again brought colleagues together to witness all these amazing examples of best practise across a range of essential areas for sporting organisations in Wales.
“Thank you to all who made this year’s Awards possible, well done to all of our applicants and nominees, and a huge congratulations to the winners on the night.
“We’re already looking forward to next year!”
The WSA would like to extend its gratitude to the Parkgate Hotel, whose hospitality contributed to a brilliant night, as well as Engage Sport for the organisation of the event and all event and award sponsors.
Thank you to Ashley Crowden for photography and Cardiff Metropolitan University, whose students Matthew Purdy and Igor Petrov volunteered as videographers throughout the evening.
Huge thanks must also go to Lauren Jenkins, of course, who once again shone as host, and our performers Welsh of the West End and Duke Al Durham.
Well done all and thank you.
Remember to keep on shouting about the night using #WSASIA2024 on socials!
