inspire+ wins the Active Skills Award at the Lincolnshire Sport & Physical Activity Awards 2026
Our work helping young people move from taking part in sport to leading, volunteering and building careers has been recognised with the Active Skills Award.
On Thursday 12 November, inspire+ was named winner of the Active Skills Award at the Lincolnshire Sport & Physical Activity Awards 2026, hosted by Active Lincolnshire at The Engine Shed.
The award recognises an organisation that supports people to develop skills, confidence and a lasting connection to being active. We were one of three finalists, alongside Church Lane Primary School Academy of Arts and IMPowered, and it was a privilege to be shortlisted alongside two organisations doing such strong work for children and young people across the county.
“This award recognises a long journey and a huge amount of work. We set up our apprenticeship training arm of the charity in 2017, we have since supported hundreds of young people into careers in the education and sport sector. Working with partners like Inspire Education Group and the hundreds of schools across our region, we have been able to make a genuine difference to young people and the children they work with to be more healthy, happy and active.”
Steve Bull – Director of Strategy and Development at inspire+
We were also finalists for the Outstanding Service to Sport & Physical Activity Award, which went to John Copsey in recognition of more than 55 years of volunteering in swimming and tennis. Congratulations to John on a richly deserved win, and to fellow finalist Chris Duncan.
How our pathway works
At inspire+, we see physical activity as the starting point for something much bigger.
Young people can join us at any stage, but we sometimes see them follow the whole pathway. They might take part in a school sports festival, step up as a young leader, volunteer in their school or community and, in time, begin an apprenticeship and a career in education, wellbeing or sport.
650 Apprentices and counting
Our apprenticeship programme is at the heart of this work. We have now supported more than 650 apprentices into roles within schools, strengthening PE, school sport and physical activity provision across Lincolnshire and the east of England.
Of the learners who finished in 2024/25, 95% progressed onto a higher-level course or into employment.
Maddie Dobson, a Level 3 Teaching Assistant apprentice at St Sebastian’s Church of England Primary School in Great Gonerby, volunteered as a leader on inspire+ camps from the age of 11 before starting her apprenticeship. She said:
“From 11 to 16 I did the inspire+ holiday camps as a volunteer leader and I always enjoyed it. Now I have started this apprenticeship, I have realised how much I love working with SEND children and how rewarding the job is. You learn something new every day, and no day is the same in my school.”
Dale Kitchen, Assistant Headteacher at West Grantham Primary Academy, which has hosted an inspire+ apprentice, said:
“inspire+’s support throughout has been incredible. Clear communication and a quality pathway for our apprentice to make progress. The impact our apprentice has had on lives in our school is the biggest measure of success, without a shadow of a doubt.”
Young leaders at the centre
Alongside apprenticeships, our Sports Leadership Academy, Young Ambassadors and Activators programmes give children and young people the chance to lead.
Over the past year, 250 active leaders supported more than 120 sports festivals and community programmes, building confidence, teamwork and communication skills while encouraging others to get active.
Thank you
This award belongs to far more than our own team. We are incredibly grateful to the schools and employers who host our apprentices, the young leaders who give their time, the apprentices themselves, and our partners and supporters across Lincolnshire.
Active Lincolnshire plays a vital role in the county. Its work with partners to tackle inactivity and inequality helps more people across Lincolnshire to be active every day, and these awards shine a light on the individuals and organisations who make that possible.
We were proud to attend the evening and to hear about the work taking place across the county. Our thanks go to Active Lincolnshire for hosting, and congratulations to every finalist and winner across all of the categories.
Building on this momentum
This award comes in the year we mark 15 years of inspire+, and it reflects a pathway built over time alongside schools, employers and communities across Lincolnshire.
As the new academic year gets under way, we are focused on building on that momentum. This autumn we have welcomed a record cohort of 20 Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant apprentices, and we will keep creating opportunities for young people to lead, volunteer and build careers through sport and physical activity.
You can read more apprentice stories in our case studies. If you are interested in an apprenticeship, find out how to become an apprentice, or learn how your school or organisation can employ an apprentice.