Crawley community project recognised at Champions Awards

The Y.E.S Project was named Outstanding Community Project Award winner at the ceremony, hosted by Team GB’s double world 110m hurdles champion Colin Jackson at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield on Thursday, February 19.

The project delivers engaging dance and movement opportunities across Sussex, helping disadvantaged young people overcome challenges, build connections, raise aspirations and reach their full potential.

The Community Champions scheme recognises individuals and groups making a positive difference in Crawley, supporting projects that tackle local issues and strengthen communities. Successful applicants receive use of local leisure facilities and increased awareness of their work.

Everyone Active runs more than 230 leisure and cultural centres across the country, including K2 Crawley Leisure Centre, Broadfield 3G Pitch & Pavilion and Bewbush Centre, in partnership with Crawley Borough Council.

The annual Champion awards ceremony recognises individuals and organisations that inspire others within their communities, alongside local athletes, part of the company’s Sporting Champions programme, who have achieved success and engaged with the scheme at their local Everyone Active centre.

Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Sporting Champions initiative is a talent development programme supporting 1,400 athletes nationwide. It has helped more than 6,000 athletes achieve their sporting potential by providing free access to Everyone Active’s leisure facilities.

Special guests at the Awards included Paralympic swimmers Maisie Summers-Newton and Lauren Steadman, and Olympic sprinter Richard Kilty, who supported the event through question-and-answer sessions and mentoring workshops alongside health and wellbeing

professionals.

For the workshops, Richard and Lauren were joined by nutrition specialist Lisa Powell (Nutrable) and performance psychologist Thomas Fahie-Cunningham (The Prime Clinic), who shared insights to support athletes in their sporting and personal development.

Jon Hodgson, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said: “Our congratulations go to The Y.E.S Project on this well-deserved recognition.

“The Champions Awards celebrate not only sporting success, but the people and organisations who make a genuine difference within their communities.

“As a leisure provider working in partnership with Crawley Borough Council, it is important for us to support initiatives that improve health, wellbeing and opportunities for local residents, and this project is a fantastic example of that.”

Councillor Chris Mullins, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Wellbeing, said: “Congratulations to The Y.E.S Project on this excellent achievement. It’s inspiring to see a local community initiative making such a positive impact, and we’re delighted that Everyone Active’s Champions scheme has helped support their journey.”

Alongside its Sporting Champions and Community Champions programmes, Everyone Active also runs a Colleague Champions scheme, which recognises and rewards colleagues who consistently go above and beyond in their roles.

Applications for all three programmes for 2026-27 opened on Friday, February 20 and run until Friday, March 20.

To apply for Sporting Champions, Community Champions or Colleague Champions in 2026-27, visit the Everyone Active Champions website: https://ea-champions.com/

Keep up with the latest Sporting Champions news by following @easportingchamps on Instagram.