Mansfield’s Armchair Club also received a Mayoral Award at a recent full Council meeting and were chosen from nominations sent to her.

The club, which has been running since 1982, helps to raise money to support sporting activities in Mansfield – but, as its name suggests, is run by a group of local businessmen and sports fans who now prefer to enjoy most of their sport from the comfort of a chair!

Each member has become involved through their own personal desire to contribute to the local community, to see sport flourish in the Mansfield area and to encourage and enable people of all ages and ability to participate and to enjoy life through sport.
Over 33 years the club has organised various  events and raised  more than £200,000 for sports groups and sports men and women in the district.

One of its members is Steve Adlington, father of the Olympic swimming champion, Rebecca Adlington.

Steve was invited to join after the club had helped Rebecca with financial support in the early days of her meteoric swimming career and before she was funded by British Swimming.

Steve said: “The financial help the Armchair Club gave Rebecca was really helpful at that point in her career and we felt very indebted to them.

“So when I was invited to join the club, I jumped at the chance. I just feel like you are giving something back to the community.”

Mayor Allsop, who commended the efforts of the Armchair Club members said: “All these people  are very worthy award winners because they all contribute so much for the good of Mansfield and long may that continue.