The Youth Sport Trust held its annual Conference Awards in 2024, celebrating the achievements of schools, settings, trusts, and individuals. The event was designed to showcase those who had made a significant impact on improving the lives of young people through sport and physical activity.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson, double world and Commonwealth champion heptathlete was a special guest at the event earlier this year. Johnson-Thompson emphasised the importance of sport in her development, saying “I don’t know who I am without sport” and that it gave her an identity from a young age.
The Youth Sport Trust also held its Sport Gives Back Awards, which celebrated the power of sport to address social challenges and transform young lives. The awards recognised individuals and groups who have made a real and impactful change through their work in physical education, physical activity, play, and school sport.
Jill Newbolt was presented with the Building Brighter Future Award by Youth Sport Trust National School Sport Champion Sir Mo Farah and former world javelin champion Fatima Whitbread MBE. Fatima praised Jill’s “unwavering passion, inspiring leadership, boundless compassion, and exceptional ability to connect” that have “revolutionised the lives of countless young people, their families, and her colleagues” through her work with the Youth Sport Trust.
The conference and awards ceremony were part of the Youth Sport Trust’s efforts to address persistent challenges in education. The aim was to highlight challenges such as absenteeism, behavioural issues, and the attainment gap, where sport can be a powerful catalyst for change.
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