‘Do one thing. If we all do one thing, what a difference we can make in our community’. That was the closing message from RNLI’s South West Water Safety Lead to Redruth’s young sportspeople in a speech at Redruth Charity Trust’s 18th Youth Sports Award presentation on Sunday 14th May.
Steve Instance first joined the RNLI in 2001 to set up their beach rescue division. He has a passion for life saving, first inspired as a young member of Portreath Surf Life Saving Club, that consumes his whole day; in his work, he focuses on raising awareness about water safety and teaching vital skills to prevent drowning around the coast, and all his free time is spent at his Surf Life Saving Club. Steve described himself as a Redruth boy; he recalled growing up in Pool, and his parents’ sporting influences of swimming and rugby, alternating through the seasons in his community. Steve stressed the importance of sport in bringing people together and impressed on the children the benefits that sport can have on their future career paths in working together, sharing values and respect, whilst also urging them to consider how they can make a difference in Redruth.
Steve joined Chris Hailey, Chair of Redruth Charity Trust, to present twenty thousands pounds worth of new equipment and apparel to 21 sports clubs in the Redruth district with an under-18 membership, through the Youth Sports Awards programme. Over 200 members and representatives from the clubs gathered for the presentation ceremony at Pool Academy, the first event of the Trust’s 30th anniversary year as a registered charity.
A first for Redruth Charity Trust, this year’s event was filmed and streamed live, to share the celebration with club members, family and friends who couldn’t attend. The professional AV production in the room and online was provided by Matt and Morgan of Cornwall Funeral Services. The video is available to watch here:
The new items requested by the 21 applying clubs were purchased by the Trust, via valued partner Cornish Granite Sports, and distributed on the night; these donations will benefit their members totalling 2855 under-18s in the Redruth district.
Redruth Charity Trust extends its grateful thanks to the 27 local businesses that sponsor the Youth Sports Award programme, whose support has been crucial to this significant total investment and the Trust’s commitment to ‘Making a Difference in Redruth’.
In addition to donating equipment, the Youth Sports Awards also celebrate individual athletes who have shown improvement in performance, attitude or effort in the previous year. The Trust awarded a spectacular trophy and £50 voucher to one nominated individual from each of the 21 clubs in this year’s scheme.
Pool Academy Year-7 students provided refreshments, with a collection in memory of their friend who tragically died this year on his walk home from school.
A retiring collection raised £142 for Redruth Charity Trust.
Chris Hailey, Chair of Redruth Charity Trust, said:
“This presentation evening, the first in our 30th year as a registered charity, brought together 21 clubs from the Redruth district. They are all providing a priceless service to their community, teaching and inspiring our community’s young people. It is our pleasure to support that effort with the resources they need to thrive.
“I extend my thanks to Steve Instance for his inspiring words. I know Steve and his family well, through rugby and the community, and I was thrilled to invite him to share his experience of how sport can benefit every aspect of life to inspire our young people. His work with the RNLI is so important and I share his view that swimming is an essential life skill here in Cornwall.
“I also wish to thank to Pool Academy for hosting the evening and to our procurement partner, Cornish Granite Sports, which has just transitioned to new ownership, run by a family team of Katherine, Megan & Danny, who I’m delighted to say wish to continue Paul Hancock’s commitment to supporting the Trust. Our sponsors are also a vital element in this programme, without whose investment, we couldn’t make such a difference to Redruth’s sporting community.”
Photos kindly taken by Steve Barnes, Fal Photography
2023 Individual Winners
2023 Club Awards
CAMBORNE-REDRUTH MOTOR CLUB: 20 technical polo shirts.
WEST COAST ACADEMY: 185 t-shirts.
REDRUTH UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB: 100 footballs in mixed sizes and 6 ball carriers.
ST PIRAN’S AMATEUR BOXING CLUB: 20 tee shirts and 20 Hoodies with club logos.
MOUNT AMBROSE CRICKET CLUB: 2 Side Arms and 10 vision cricket balls.
REDRUTH CRICKET CLUB: 36 Sublimated cricket shirts. For Unders 11s,13s and 15s teams.
REDRUTH TENNIS CLUB: 45 quarter zip jackets.
PORTREATH SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB: One Large Store it out Max 1200 litre storage box and One Brushwood 454 litre storage box.
CORNWALL ATHLETICS CLUB: 3×3 metre pop up gazebo with logos and 2 first aid bags.
REDRUTH JUDO CLUB: 85 Black/yellow holdalls with club logos.
REDRUTH RUGBY CLUB: 1 Large gazebo with full printed logos, 30 technical tee shirts for the girls with trust/club logos and 10 size 4 rugby balls.
CARN BREA AND HELSTON SWIMMING CLUB: 60 black towels and 3 first aid top ups.
WHEAL VELOCITY CYCLE CLUB: 3 x 3 metre pop up Gazebo complete with club logos and a First Aid kit.
GAZELLES GYMNASTICS CLUB: a large apparatus trolley on wheels, 10 skipping ropes, a set of 4 Heavy duty resistance bands and another set of 4 fabric resistance bands.
ILLOGAN JUNIOR FOOTBALL CLUB: 100 footballs in mixed sizes and 6 ball carriers.
CORNWALL ATHLETICS ACADEMY: 60 tee shirts with club/trust logos for their younger members.
DUCHY HOCKEY CLUB: 24 hockey balls, 24 training bibs, 12 assorted size hockey sticks, 1 First Aid bag with extra Ice Packs.
ST DAY YOUTH FOOTBALL CLUB: 100 footballs in mixed sizes and 6 ball carriers.
RADNOR ROYALS GOLF CLUB: 1 Large and 1 small First Aid kitbags.
SUPREME STAR MAJORETTES: 5 batons and a First Aid kitbag with additional Ice Packs.
TRELAWNY TWIRL TEAM: 15 pairs of laced split sole Jazz shoes in various sizes and 15 shoe bags.
