Sporting achievement, community dedication and inspirational stories were celebrated at the Active Hyndburn Awards 2026, as hundreds came together at Accrington Town Hall for one of the borough’s biggest celebrations of sport and physical activity.
The annual awards, organised by Hyndburn Leisure, recognised outstanding clubs, coaches, volunteers, athletes and community champions from across Hyndburn, while the evening also saw the launch of the new Hyndburn Talent Fund and raised an impressive £2,380 for good causes through the event raffle and silent auction.
Olympian and World Champion Derek Redmond was the special guest for the evening, sharing his remarkable sporting story and speaking about resilience, determination and overcoming setbacks.
The evening was officially opened by Ciaran Wells, Chair of the Board at Hyndburn Leisure, with guests also including the Mayor of Hyndburn, Cllr Noordad Aziz, representatives from Hyndburn Borough Council and organisations from across the local sporting and community sector.
Eight awards were presented during the evening.
Lancashire Bombers Flag Football Club were named Club of the Year, while Amelia Vaughan received the Volunteer of the Year Award.
The Hyndburn Leisure Active Wellbeing Team received the Active Education Award and Michael Baron was recognised with the Changing Lifestyle Award following an inspirational personal journey to improve his health and wellbeing.
Max Robinson, who has volunteered as Head Coach of Kuon Ji Jujitsu Club in Oswaldtwistle since 1997, was named Coach of the Year.
The Sports Achiever of the Year Award went to Bobby Bridges, who has secured a place on the Team GB Gold Olympic Pathway for flag football and has also been selected for the NFL Academy.
Louise Robinson received the Inspire Award for her work supporting young people through Victoria’s St Bangers Muay Thai Gym, while Jean Wood received the evening’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her commitment to inclusive cycling through Wheels for All.
A major announcement during the evening was the launch of the new Hyndburn Talent Fund by the Leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, Cllr Munsif Dad.
Delivered by Hyndburn Leisure with support from Hyndburn Borough Council, the fund has been created to support talented local athletes who are competing at, or have the potential to progress towards, national level.
Funding of up to £500 will be available to help eligible athletes with costs including travel, accommodation, competition and training fees and specialist equipment.
Cllr Munsif Dad said:
“Across Hyndburn we have talented athletes with the ambition and potential to achieve at the very highest level, but we also recognise the financial challenges that can come with progressing in competitive sport.
“The Hyndburn Talent Fund is about helping to remove some of those barriers, giving local athletes additional support and encouraging people across our borough to believe in what they can achieve and aim high.
“I was delighted to launch the fund at an evening which demonstrated just how much sporting talent, dedication and community spirit we have here in Hyndburn.”
The first round of applications to the Hyndburn Talent Fund is now open until 30th November 2026.
Application guidelines and forms are available on the Community section of the Hyndburn Leisure website.
Ciaran Wells, Chair of Hyndburn Leisure, said:
“The Active Hyndburn Awards are always a very special evening because they give us the opportunity to recognise people whose contribution can sometimes happen quietly and without recognition.
“Behind every award are countless hours of coaching, volunteering, training, supporting others and creating opportunities for people to be active.
“Congratulations to all of our winners and finalists, and thank you to everyone who submitted nominations. The stories we heard throughout the evening demonstrated the enormous positive impact that sport and physical activity continues to have across Hyndburn.”
Alongside celebrating local achievement, guests supported a raffle and silent auction throughout the evening, raising £2,380 for good causes.
Some of the money raised will be used to provide defibrillators at sporting venues across the borough and £1,500 will be added to the Talent Fund, helping the event create a positive legacy beyond the awards themselves.
Hyndburn Leisure also thanked the organisations whose support made the evening possible, including headline sponsor East Lancashire Learning Group, alongside Master Ground Services, Myson Pages, MyLahore, Hyndburn Borough Council, Coolant Heat Facilities, Alliance Leisure, Wilkes Vending and Forbes Solicitors.
Further support was provided by event partners including Technogym, Ainsworths, RedRose, Rosslee Construction, Pilkingtons and Brands Inside Out.
Ciaran added:
“We are hugely grateful to our sponsors, partners, guests and everyone who supported the raffle and silent auction. Raising £2,380 for good causes is another fantastic outcome from the evening.
“Most importantly, thank you to every club, volunteer, coach, athlete and organisation working throughout the year to make Hyndburn a healthier, more active and more connected place.”
The Active Hyndburn Awards will return in 2027.
