Sports Woman of the Year

Sarah Brown, wife of the Prime Minister presented the 'Helen Rollason Award for Inspiration' to Joanna Gardiner on Tuesday 20th November at the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year Awards . The award was in honour of her inspirational and voluntary work with the Football for Peace project.

Joanna graduated from Sport & Exercise Science with PE last year and is currently half way through a PGCE in Physical Education at Chelsea School, University of Brighton. She has been working with the Football for Peace project since 2005 when she was in her first year at university. The award is in the name of Helen Rollason, former BBC Grandstand presenter who died of cancer 8 years ago and was also a former Chelsea graduate.

In response to the award Joanna said 'It is a massive honour but a hard feat to keep up when following in the footsteps of Helen Rollason and Jane Tomlinson. For me Football for Peace has taught me that football and sport can be used as a tool to bring out and demonstrate morals to young people. The game can be used to put these values into context -developing them for life. With the support of the project team I'm sure I can honour the legacy I'm now holding."

Joanna has also been shortlisted for the BBC South East Sportswomen of the Year Award on Monday 3rd December which could mean a hatrick for her if she also receives the 'USL Audio Visual Coach of the Year' Award at the Sussex Sports Awards on Friday 23rd November.

For further information on Joanna's award visit http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/article2910234.ece