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Cambridge United Community Trust recognises hard work and dedication with successful gala dinner and awards night at Madingley Hall




After a Covid-19 enforced hiatus, the Cambridge United Community Trust (CUCT) hosted its fourth Gala Dinner last week.

The event, which was held at Madingley Hall, featured the inaugural ‘United in Endeavour’ awards, in which the Trust’s participants, volunteers or partners were recognised for their individual achievements or support they have given their community.

The final total raised is still being calculated, yet the community trust manager, Sam Gomarsall, was delighted with how everything unfolded.

  • Don't miss our five-page special on the CUCT Awards, inside this week's Cambridge Independent – out from Wednesday, September 28

“It was a huge success,” said Gomarsall. “It was so great to be able to bring people together after Covid and show our commitment to making a difference.

Winners of the CUCT Awards 2022. Picture: Alan Walter
Winners of the CUCT Awards 2022. Picture: Alan Walter

“This was our first dinner post Covid and everyone seemed to really enjoy it. It was so nice to be able to showcase the work of the Trust and how we are keen to make even more of an impact to the community in the future.”

First team head coach Mark Bonner was present on the night and handed out one of the awards alongside being interviewed on stage.

Community Trust manager Sam Gomarsall. Picture: Alan Walter
Community Trust manager Sam Gomarsall. Picture: Alan Walter

And Gomarsall is delighted with the support the Trust currently receives from Bonner and his players.

He said: “It’s a massive help to have someone of Mark’s character involved.

“It really helps us in what we do and it gives us a real authenticity to have the players and head coach involved so heavily. They’re really engaged with all of our plans, both now and for the future.”

AstraZeneca Mental Health champion: Emma Dawney

As well as taking steps to improve her own mental health, Emma Dawney has become a leading member of the Cambridge United Community Trust family.

Emma Dawney receives her award. Picture: Alan Walter
Emma Dawney receives her award. Picture: Alan Walter

She attends mental health football sessions weekly and has gone on to make herself stronger, both mentally and physically.

Emma is also credited for providing a listening ear or a friendly face.

Cambridge Independent Overcoming Adversity champion: Bryson Taylor

There was a number of nominations for this award with so many of the Trust’s participants having inspirational stories. But the winner of the prize was youngster Bryson Taylor, who has been attending sessions for more than six years.

Bryson Taylor receives his award. Picture: Alan Walter
Bryson Taylor receives his award. Picture: Alan Walter

During the last 12 months Bryson has shown resilience and determination in abundance after undergoing major surgery.

The progress Bryson has made, supported by his family, physio and disability sports officer Phil Mullen, has enabled him to start taking independent steps, which is a huge personal achievement.

Mick George Environmental Sustainability champions: William and Oliver Croughton

This award was created for someone that has demonstrated a commitment to involvement in conservation, environmental preservation, environmental education and/or sustainable development within the community.

And brothers William and Oliver got right behind the club’s new initiative, then known as Plant Super League.

William and Oliver Croughton receive their award from Mark Bonner. Picture: Alan Walter
William and Oliver Croughton receive their award from Mark Bonner. Picture: Alan Walter

The competition pitched football clubs against each other to score goals by demonstrating environmentally friendly actions, from walking and biking instead of riding in the car, to being mindful when recycling and eating more meat-free meals.

The football club’s efforts were recognised at the EFL awards as they won the Sustainability Award and the siblings played a leading role by scoring a combined 629 goals in two months.

They even appeared on the BBC’s One Show to celebrate the win.

Cambridge University Institute of Continuing Education Covid Response Volunteer champion: The Abbey People Food Hub

Throughout the first 12 weeks of the pandemic, the football club cooked and delivered more than 1,700 hot meals with volunteers, staff and even players helping with the delivery effort. Yet food poverty is not something that was restricted to the pandemic.

Abbey People Food Hub were praised for their work during the pandemic. Picture: Alan Walter
Abbey People Food Hub were praised for their work during the pandemic. Picture: Alan Walter

The winning organisation of this award provided a community fridge throughout the Covid pandemic offering surplus food from supermarkets alongside locally grown donated fruit and veg.

For those in extreme need, they provided store-cupboard essentials, sanitary products, toiletries and fuel vouchers.

Serving 150 households on a weekly basis, this organisation through the food hub has been at the heart of the Covid response.

Cambridgeshire FA Young Achiever champion: Rodgers Dawson

Through the delivery of CUCT’s Premier League Kicks programme, the organisation has engaged hundreds of young people each year through sport that is free to access in their local community, providing them positive activities to engage in after school hours.

Rodgers Dawson's award was picked up on his behalf. Picture: Alan Walter
Rodgers Dawson's award was picked up on his behalf. Picture: Alan Walter

The key to our programmes success relies on the relationships that our staff and volunteers have with the young people. Listening to them, mentoring them, and providing them a space they feel supported with where they are in their lives at that time.

The winner has volunteered his time on a weekly basis to support at the north Cambridge Premier League Kicks session, being a fantastic role model to the young people, someone they can talk to and look up to.

Hill Group Community Engager champion: Zoe Harvey

Award winner Zoe Harvey joined the Trust last year as a footballer, who has gone on to play blind football in Italy as part of the first talent pathway for partially sighted women, co-manage a youth boys football team and also play/manage the club’s pan disability football team.

This enables players who are partially sighted, deaf or hard of hearing, have cerebral palsy or other additional needs to come together as a group to train and play as a team.

Zoe Harvey. Picture: Alan Walter
Zoe Harvey. Picture: Alan Walter

Not only does this provide footballing opportunities to individuals who need a level playing field to enjoy the beautiful game, it also provides a fantastic social platform, in which the winner has been central to organising the upcoming inclusive disco being held at the Supporters’ Club in October.

The Living Sport Outstanding Achievement champion: Nigel Hillyard

The winner and a number of his friends came together to launch Cambridge’s first Walking Football Marathon.

This involved a continuous game of walking football made up of players from the club’s seniors walking football sessions and disability football sessions.

Back in May two teams of 30 players came together, playing the game continuously for 12 hours with roll on roll off subs, with one player playing the whole 12 hours.

Nigel Hillyard's friends collected the award on his behalf. Picture: Alan Walter
Nigel Hillyard's friends collected the award on his behalf. Picture: Alan Walter

Nigel Hillyard, who was not available to pick up his award, raised an £14,000 for the disability football sessions through this marathon.



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