The achievements of voluntary and community groups working with young people across East Sussex were celebrated at the SPARK Awards on 10 May at the Winter Garden in Eastbourne.
The SPARK Awards 2016 celebrated not only the inspiring children and young people that belong to these groups but also the dedicated staff and volunteers who support, champion and encourage them every step of the way. The main event was sponsored by East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (ESFRS), who provided advice and lots of fun activities for young people on the night – as well as a very popular Fire Truck! SPARK is proud to be working with ESFRS towards building stronger community support for local young people.
Around 500 guests included SPARK’s patron and the Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex, Peter Field, guests from the county’s District and Borough Councils and individual award sponsors including Sussex Police, Sussex Coast College Hastings and the South Downs National Park Authority. The awards were presented by Bryony MacKenzie, Education Correspondent at BBC South East, and 18-year-old Callum Ward, Chairman of the Ringmer Youth Voice Centre.
Categories included Sports Achievement, won by Bexhill Giants Basketball Club; Social Media Achievement, won by the Newhaven Young People’s Forum’s Youth-to-Youth website; Equality & Inclusion Achievement, won by Embrace East Sussex’s Saturday Club for special needs and disabled children and the SPARK Award for special recognition, which was won by Education Futures Trust for their innovative educational programmes for young people in Hastings and Rye.
Talented young performers from Respond Academy in Hastings, Starfish Youth Music in Lewes and Eastbourne-based Delta 7, who were runners-up in the Arts Achievement category, provided outstanding entertainment. In the Wings Youth Theatre Company from Bexhill performed a moving rendition of ‘Bring on Tomorrow’ from the musical Fame and Irish Dance group Rinceoiri Ratton from Eastbourne closed the show in style.
SPARK’s Chief Executive Arwyn Thomas said of the awards:
“Our fourth SPARK Awards event provided the perfect opportunity to thank those who give so much to their local communities – very often on a voluntary basis – and to also celebrate the many impressive young people who are supported by these dedicated groups. More than ever we recognise the importance of highlighting their inspiring work through these awards and this year were overwhelmed by the quality of the nominations and wide range of impressive projects.”
SPARK is free to join and supports, connects and celebrates more than 200 voluntary and community youth groups in Lewes, Wealden, Eastbourne, Hastings and Rother districts. For more information please visit sparknetwork.org.uk.
Image by Nigel Bowles www.jcpa.co.uk.