The 30th edition of the Bedford Sports and Physical Activity Awards took place at the Corn Exchange on Monday night (8 December) with 14 awards handed out to the great and the good of Bedford’s sporting scene.
Clubs, individuals, schools, volunteers, coaches and many more were recognised in the milestone event, with 125 nominees vouching for prizes ranging from Sports Personality awards through to Team, Club and Coach of the year, while community groups were also recognised.
Ahead of a packed schedule of prize giving, the night was opened by Master of Ceremonies, Richard Tapley and a typically boisterous Mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative) along with a special video from some of the Award’s past winners.
The first ever Bedford Sport Award was handed out in 1995, given to a little-known long distance runner by the name of Paula Radcliffe, who was just one of many star names to wish all of the nominees luck and to offer their thanks to Bedford’s sporting community in a pre-ceremony video.
Among the others to feature were Olympic gold medallists, Tim Foster and Etienne Stott, football legend Barry Fry, both Gail and Jan Emms, netball star Ellie Rattu and top tennis umpire, James Keothavong.
Over 30 years, there have been 302 awards and 73 special commendations handed out from a selection of 2,664 nominees encompassing 123 different sports and activities.
When it comes to sport, Bedford is a hot spot of opportunity and variety. Here are the winners from the class of 2025:
Club of the Year
Star Rowing Club picked up the night’s first award in the ‘Club of the Year’ category after a stellar 2025 which included four of their teams qualifying for the Henley Royal Regatta, the world’s most prestigious rowing event.
There were also national and international medals, including at the World Masters Regatta in Spain, in which Star earned 55 individual medals, ranking them seventh in the world.
There was also a bronze at the National Schools Regatta and four more wins at the Henley Masters Regatta, showing that all age groups are succeeding on all stages at one of Bedford’s many burgeoning rowing clubs.
Community Club/Group Award
Winning the Community Club or Group Award amongst 24 nominees, was the Bedford MS Therapy Centre, who deliver over 1,000 sessions every year to help people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s.
With accessibility at the forefront of every session, the centre tailors sessions to individual’s needs and with everything covered from Pilates to boxercise and reflexology to counselling, the Bedford MS Therapy Centre continues to support over 2,200 locally affected people, helping them keep their independence.
Primary School of the Year
There’s plenty of opportunity for physical activity at the winners of the Primary School of the Year award, Livingstone Primary School, who ensure every pupil enjoys at least 30 minutes of daily activity via a number of different methods.
From traditional clubs and their forest school to specialised SEND and SSCO events to sports leader-led sessions, Livingstone were recognised for putting physical activity at the forefront of their pupils’ educations.
Secondary School of the Year
Bedford Academy picked up the secondary school prize, boasting an extensive PE curriculum alongside elite-level training facilities and opportunity, including in sports such as basketball, football, racket sports, netball, athletics and dance.
Regular participation in regional and national competitions have also helped grow sport at Bedford Academy, while they also concentrate on an inclusive ethos, giving everyone a chance to have a go.
Young Volunteer of the Year
There were three nominees in the Young Volunteer of the Year award, and all three were recognised for their incredible dedication to their sports.
The overall winner was Bodie Christison, who has taken it upon himself to offer instruction in a vast number of sporting and physical activities that include the likes of climbing, shooting and archery, as well as paddlesport, in which he is a qualified instructor.
Bodie was recognised for the amount of time he has spent volunteering, often giving up full weeks and a lot of summer holidays to help others in a number of sports.
Also recognised with special commendations were ‘Fun 4 Young People’ volunteer, Jasamine Bailey and hockey coach, Jessica Leach who were also recognised for the sheer amount of hours they have put into their volunteering.
Junior Disability Sports Personality of the Year
Tammy Harrison picked up the Junior Disability Sports Personality of the Year award, recognising her incredible work since joining Bedford Wheelchair Racing Club.
Helping to promote disability sport up and down the country, Tammy has been a huge part of the Paralympics Equal Play campaign, which calls for no child to be left on the sidelines.
Not one to shy away, Tammy has also promoted her sport with the BBC, Sky TV and the National Lottery, as well as at the Paralympics themselves, and was a worthy recipient of the Junior Disability Sports Personality of the Year prize.
Junior Personality of the Year
The young career of sailing’s Rory Luddington continues to soar, which is an incredible achievement in itself given Bedford is approximately 80 miles from the sea, but the young Team GB star has not let that deter him from even greater achievements in 2025.
Rory represented Team GB aged 12, sailing an Optimist Dinghy in France during the Summer, and was also recognised by his school with the Outstanding Performance Award, given to a single name out of over 1,000 students.
Also recognised with a special commendation was pole vaulting’s Lois Fordham, who achieved a lifetime best of 3.20 metres at the English Schools Championship, securing a bronze medal alongside a plethora of other youth titles this season.
Team of the Year
The Team of the Year award went to the Bedford Ladies Tug of War side who, again, were one of the best teams on the planet in the world of Tug of War.
They are an established group on the world stage, having won more national and international medals than we have space to mention, but 2025 was yet another stellar calendar year with a whole host of titles.
Perhaps their greatest achievement was a stunning five gold medals across multiple weight classes at the British and Irish Championships in Armagh, Northern Ireland before winning a silver and a bronze in the World Championships on home soil in Nottingham.
Read: Bedford Ladies Tug of War team strike gold at British and Irish Championships
Coach of the Year
Athletics won big in the Coach of the Year category, with the winning prize going to Bedford and County Athletics Club’s Darren Kerr, primarily for his work in hammer throw and weight throwing.
Darren coaches a group of eight athletes, all of whom have competed on the European stage this season, but he also coaches the coaches with advice and technical support, making him one of the Club’s indispensable members.
There was also a special commendation for Simon Eastwood, also of Bedford and County Athletics Club, who is part of the National Coach Mentoring Scheme in the world of pole vault, coaching a squad of 12 athletes, all of whom are nationally ranked.
Community Person Award
The winner of the Community Person Award was boxing’s John Paul Smith, the founder of ‘Boxing Saves Lives’, and has gone on to build a safe environment for boys and young men who have struggled with confidence and their mental health.
Described in his nomination as a man whose “personal commitment to supporting those most at risk has transformed countless lives”, JP’s contribution to Bedford’s community scene “extends far beyond sport”.
There was also a special commendation for Hawaa Empower’s, Shapna Khanam who has worked tirelessly to break down barriers in a myriad of ways, providing opportunities for underrepresented and culturally diverse groups across a number of sports.
Read: Bedford organisations work together to offer ‘Men Get Active’ community programme
Unsung Hero
The Unsung Hero award went to a man who most runners will see at one Bedford event or another, Mike Canning.
Whether it be Race for Life, Parkrun, the Bedford Triathlon, the Bedford Run Festival or Bedford Harrier races, Mike is there, offering support in the form of course marshalling, start and finish line duties, and event operations.
There are lots of wonderful running events taking place in Bedford all year round, but they would not be able to take place without the likes of Mike who helps them all run smoothly.
Adult Disability Sports Personality of the Year
The winner of the Adult Disability Sports Personality of the Year went to Christopher Bradley, a man who has been around horses his entire life, and credits them as a big part of the man he has become.
Christopher was part of the Team GB team who won big at the inaugural Virtus Para Dressage World Championships, winning two gold medals with his horse, Harley.
Adult Personality of the Year
Margaret Cotter is one of Bedford’s examples of never giving up in the face of adversity.
Maggie began swimming after undergoing two transplants, going on to become a fierce advocate for organ donation as well as winning a gold and three bronze medals at the British Transplant Games.
This was soon followed by a silver and a bronze at the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany in August, completing an impressive medal haul for 2025.
Read: Bedford swimmer wins two medals at the World Transplant Games in Germany
There was also a special commendation for rower, Ben Howard who broke into the world’s top 30 at the first GB Early ID trials, climbing to ninth overall at the National Trials. The award represented the second prize of the night for Star Rowing Club.
Service to Sport
The night’s premier prize went to one of Bedford’s ultimate sporting devotees.
Put simply, Howard Darbon has dedicated his entire life to sport. Across a number of decades, Howard has put Bedford on the map in the worlds of football, athletics and wheelchair racing, founding the now hugely successful Bedford Wheelchair Racing.
His leadership has since attracted over £40,000 of funding, helping to transform the lives and opportunities for wheelchair athletes across the Borough.
Along with his own sporting achievements, for Shaftesbury Harries and the Territorial Army, Howard’s contribution to sport has been second to none.
Congratulations to all the winners and to the vast number of nominees.
Full list of winners
Club of the Year: Star Rowing Club
Community Club/Group Award: Bedford MS Therapy Centre
Primary School of the Year: Livingstone Primary School
Secondary School of the Year: Bedford Academy
Young Volunteer of the Year: Bodie Christison
Junior Disability Sports Personality of the Year: Tammy Harrison
Junior Personality of the Year: Rory Luddington
Team of the Year: Bedford Ladies Tug of War
Coach of the Year: Darren Kerr
Community Person Award: John Paul (JP) Smith
Unsung Hero: Mike Canning
Adult Disability Sports Personality of the Year: Christopher Bradley
Adult Sports Personality of the Year: Margaret Cotter
Service to Sport Award: Howard Darbon
