Pictured receiving the UK Coaching Award for Move More in Northern Ireland is Heather Monteverde, Head of Services for Macmillan in Northern Ireland (centre) and Gillian Wilmot, Chairman of UK Coaching (left), and host for the evening BBC Breakfast presenter Mike Bushell.

Macmillan’s local Move More team is celebrating after winning a prestigious UK Coaching Award!  The Move More initiative, funded by Macmillan Cancer Support and delivered by district councils and leisure organisations throughout Northern Ireland, was nominated in the 2018 Coaching for an Active Life Award category. The initiative is delivered in Ards & North Down Borough Council by Move More Co-ordinator Eimear Hagan.

UK Coaching Awards recognise and reward great coaching from people and organisations across the UK at all levels across sport and activity, from community to high performance. The team which was nominated for the awards by Sport NI, was in impressive company - finalists in other categories included Gareth Southgate for his coaching in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia and England Netball Head Coach, Tracey Neville MBE!

Move More Co-ordinator Eimear Hagan for Ards & North Down added, “It is an incredible privilege for our work to be recognised by the UK Coaching Awards and to have an opportunity to share the room with so many inspirational people.  Move More is about more than just exercise, it’s about the social benefits too and we know that our fantastic participants all over the Ards & North Down area will have sent positive thoughts for the ceremony!”

Heather Monteverde, Head of Services for Macmillan in Northern Ireland said: “We are thrilled that Move More has been recognised with a prestigious Coaching for an Active Life Award. Almost 2,000 people in Northern Ireland have been supported by Move More NI since its launch in 2016 and this award is testament to the hardworking team of Macmillan Move More Co-ordinators who encourage their participants to live life with cancer as fully as they can. 

“Macmillan believes that everyone living with cancer, and other long-term conditions, should be aware of the benefits of physical exercise and are supported to be active at a level that’s right for them. This award is recognition that great coaching for people living with cancer can have a really positive impact not just on physical health, but on mental health and social relationships too.”