Gym coach Heather is the pride of Sussex

Heather Wallace picked up the young coach of the year award at the ceremony at The Grand in Brighton.

She has been a regular volunteer at local gymnastic clubs, including Arun Gymnastics Club, for the past six years. She started assisting when she was in Year 9 at school and she worked twice a week alongside the gymnastics coach at the primary gymnastic and trampoline clubs.

This amounted to at least three hours per week for about 30 weeks of the school year.

In addition she helped train her school gymnastics team and helped prepare them for competitions held within the area. Her help is invaluable at local events and the southern area partnership gymnastic competitions where, again, she readily gives her time to help judge at the Year 1/2 and Year 3/4 competitions.

Last year Heather, based in Rustington, took the nationally-recognised community sports leaders award and passed with flying colours and she is presently studying for her higher sports leaders award.

In addition to these qualifications she has acquired the level-one coaching qualification in women’s artistic gymnastics.

Chichester publishing firm Wiley won a healthy workplace award at the ceremonym but other Chichester-area nominees missed out on awards at thr glitzy evening.

Graham Jessop, Allan Lambourne and West Wittering Cricket Club all received praise, though, for being nominated in the outstanding contribution, best coach and best club categories.