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ukactive is delighted to announce the return of the ukactive Awards for 2021, celebrating the very best of the physical activity sector following a year of unparalleled disruption.

The ukactive Awards, in partnership with Active IQ, will see judging recommence for entries made in 2020, following the postponement of the awards due to the pandemic last year.

Three categories have re-opened for new entries and two new COVID-19-related awards have also been announced to recognise the incredible efforts of the past year – ‘Delivering Business Continuity and Success during Covid-19’ and ‘Developing and Supporting Communities during Covid-19’.

The ukactive Awards represent the biggest celebration of excellence in the sector’s calendar and this year marks an opportunity to celebrate the sector and recognise success, both prior to and during the pandemic.

Alongside the new awards, the three categories that will be re-opened for submissions are: Regional & National Club/Centre of the Year, the Physical Activity Hero Award, and the Outstanding Leadership Award.

Entries will be rated by Proinsight and Active IQ, before being reviewed by the judging panel, while the Physical Activity Hero Award and the Outstanding Leadership Award will be put to a public vote.

The ukactive Awards ceremony will be delivered online in August, with details to be revealed over the coming months.

Jenny Patrickson, Managing Director of Active IQ, said: “We are delighted to see the ukactive Awards going ahead this year as a digital event after last year’s postponement.

“As first round judges, we formed a panel of six adjudicators from across our quality assurance and qualification development teams who have extensive experience in making professional judgements and assessing submissions against set criteria.

“Our team has spent over 140 hours evaluating 50 entries so far and it’s been a fascinating process. We have seen some exemplary examples of business acumen, skill, ingenuity and creativity in delivering high standard work across our sector.

“Added to this, the community spirit, resilience and empathy shown by our industry over the last 12 months has been outstanding.

“We have proudly supported the ukactive Awards from the very first year, and been a headline partner for the last three years.  We’re looking forward to celebrating the diverse talents and achievements within our industry.”

Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “The ukactive Awards remain the biggest accolade in the physical activity sector and we are delighted to bring them back this year.

“There has never been a more important time to recognise the resilience, innovation and unity within our sector, following a year of continued disruption and challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These awards will shine a light on the work our sector has achieved, and the incredible teams and businesses that represent the engine room of physical activity in the UK.

“Entering the ukactive Awards is an opportunity to raise your organisation’s profile, benchmark against the very best in the sector, and celebrate your team’s success.

“We look forward to celebrating all of the nominees and announcing the winners at our ceremony in August.”

Entries are now open for five awards, and must be submitted before 5pm on Friday 7 May 2021. To apply for the ukactive Awards 2021 and to read the Entry Guide, click here.