A volunteer with a girls football team has spoken of her pride at being nominated for a top award.
Mhari Lindsay, who runs Cumnock Juniors Girls Football Club, has been shortlisted for the Coronation Champions Awards.
The awards are being held to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort.
And Mhari, 39, from New Cumnock, said she is thrilled to have been nominated.
She said: “Becoming a Coronation Champion would be a privilege to showcase our little club as a true community asset.”
Mhari, who has been volunteering for 10 years, is now in the running to become one of a total of 500 volunteers, who will be selected as the nation’s Coronation Champions- and invited to attend one of the official Coronation celebrations.
Mhari’s volunteer role at Cumnock Juniors Girls Football Club sees her take on the positions of club director, secretary, coach and player and it is an everyday commitment.
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A commitment she juggles with a full time job.
The club is open for girls from age five up to 70 in Cumnock, providing coaching and support.
Mhari and her team of volunteers, some of whom are former players, has established several teams, including a walking football team.
Mhari set up the club to enable women and girls to have an equal opportunity to thrive and develop in the sport.
As a result, girls who wouldn’t have had access to the sport have grown, developed and made their way onto professional women’s teams.
As well as receiving an invite to one of the official events, such as the Windsor Castle Coronation Concert or a Coronation Garden Party, all 500 Champions, will also receive a specially designed, official Coronation Champions pin and a certificate signed by His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort.
Mhari said: “I want the young girls to be offered a better opportunity to play football, one that was not there when I was little.
“Playing also helps encourage more social interaction, enhance health and wellbeing and gives the girls a chance to escape their day to day lives for a few hours a week and have more peers to talk to and rely on.
“Volunteering is the single most valuable thing I have ever done in my life. The sheer joy to see a young person do something you have taught them is overwhelming.
“It also gives me a sense of pride. Giving back to the community that gave to me when I was younger is really the best feeling in the world.”
With the support of Her Majesty The Queen Consort, the Coronation Champions awards are set to recognise exceptional volunteers from across the country.
Her Majesty The Queen Consort said: “Up and down the country, millions of unsung heroes are contributing to their local communities, giving generously of their time and their talents to enhance the lives of others.
“If you know a volunteer who is making a difference, please be sure to share their story.”
Nominations can be made across eight award categories; supporting older people; supporting young people and children; crisis and welfare; community; sports, culture, and heritage; health and care; sustainability and the environment; and animal welfare.
Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service said: “It has been a joy to see how many volunteers have been nominated in recognition for their incredible work so far. We’re going to have a real challenge on our hands when it comes to judging the entries, as every volunteer is already a star in my eyes.”
Nominations will be reviewed by an expert judging panel made up of volunteering specialists, charity leaders and academics.
Nominees will be judged on their demonstrated impact, initiative, inspiration, and involvement in volunteering over the last five years.
Nominations for the Coronation Champions Awards will close at 23.59 on Sunday, April 2.
To nominate, visit: www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/coronation-champions-awards
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