A SUMMER of sport was brought to a glittering close with an awards ceremony celebrating local clubs, volunteers and sporting achievements.
The Sporting Lyme Awards Evening was held at Lyme Regis Golf Club, to which all 24 of the individuals and clubs nominated were invited.
More than 40 nominations were received and the entries were judged by Woodroffe School headteacher Dan Watts and former town clerk John Wright, who both attended the ceremony to personally present the awards.
Organisations who have supported Sporting Lyme were also invited to the event, celebrating a successful inaugural festival of sport, which took place between May and September.
The award for Young Sportsperson of the Year went to triathlete and Exeter Harrier Fred Unwin.
Fred’s nomination said: “Fred is achieving great things and at just age 14, he is completely dedicated and determined, training outdoors in all weathers and always pushing himself to do better, run faster, swim harder and cycle further.”
Sportsperson of the Year was awarded to Jacob Denning, a player, coach and referee at Lyme Regis Football Club.
Jacob’s nomination said: “Jacob has demonstrated outstanding maturity, leadership and sportsmanship in the role. He consistently encourages and supports his teammates, putting the team before himself.”
The award for Veteran Sportsperson of the Year went to Sheila Stratton, who took up rowing aged 70-plus.
Sheila’s nomination said: “She now attends classes twice a week and reports feeling stronger, fitter in her daily activities as well as more confident in herself.”
Charlie West’s success in the world of golfing and the Junior European Open won him the Sports Achievement of the Year Award.
Charlie’s nomination said: “Charlie’s ability, determination and commitment to his golf. He is a fantastic ambassador for Lyme Regis Golf Club and an inspiration to our growing junior section.”
Team of the Year went to the Lyme Regis Under 14s football team, who won the plate cup and were promoted to Division 1.
The team’s nomination said: “The final was a nail-biting game with extra time and then penalties, which they won on the last one! They showed great team spirit with the help of the coaching team Gavin Fowler and Mark Duerden.”
Olivia Chuter was recognised as Coach/Manager of Year, growing her community of indoor rowers, earning her the most nominations across all categories.
One of Olivia’s nominations said: “She is totally committed to everyone's mental and physical wellbeing and creates an incredibly supportive environment for a really diverse group of local people.”
The award for Volunteer of the Year went to Mark Jenkin, who established the Cobb Gate Junior Parkrun in Lyme Regis.
Mark’s nomination said: “His enthusiasm is infectious and he is always looking for new ways to improve the event, looking for funding streams and new ideas.”
Lyme Regis Town Council would like to thank every organisation, club, volunteer, coach, participant and individual who got involved in Sporting Lyme 2026, as well as Lyme Regis Golf Club for hosting the awards evening.
And that’s a wrap on Sporting Lyme 2026! But don’t worry, we’ll be back in 2028 to do it all again!
Sporting Lyme Awards Winners of 2026