High Sheriff visits Refugee Netball Session for International Women's Day

The Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership teamed up with the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire to celebrate her year themed Sport for Good with some special High Sheriff Recognition Awards. 

The High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, Annie Brewster JP visited a netball session for Refugees and Asylum Seekers at Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre to celebrate International Women’s Day, during one of the weekly sessions. Stevenage Community Safety Unit and Hertfordshire Netball Association were both awarded a special High Sheriff Sport for Good Award for Outstanding Contribution to Social Inclusion through Sport Award in Hertfordshire. The session had nearly 30 eager participants looking forward to their weekly workout and to meet the special guest. 

Both organisations are making every effort to ensure that many women residing in the Hertfordshire contingency properties are provided a way to get involved with sport and physical activity. Given the support from Everyone Active Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre, to go from playing in a hotel car park for the first session to now having a dedicated sports hall each week, has provided participants the opportunity to improve their physical, mental and social wellbeing. Allowing them to take part in physical activity and to make connections with other likeminded people at the leisure centre as well as the Stevenage Community Safety Unit Officers. 

The High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, Annie Brewster JP said: 

‘To coincide with International Women's Day I was delighted to present a surprise High Sheriff and Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership Award to Lucy Prestedge, Netball Development Community Coach at England Netball and Hertfordshire Netball Association together with PS Karen Mellor and her incredible team at the Herts Police Stevenage Community Safety Unit for their brilliant response to 'Sport for Good’ this past year in delivering netball sessions to women housed in Hertfordshire asylum seeker hotels. They started with a ball in a hotel car park but thanks to the support of Everyone Active Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre they are now in a dedicated sports hall and give participants an outlet for social isolation and help to improve their physical and mental wellbeing via an activity outside their hotel once a week. Refugees and asylum seekers play from several different countries, speaking a variety of languages, now with the common language being netball.’ 

For further details of the event and the High Sheriff’s visit, please contact Jane Parker on: 

j.parker20@herts.ac.uk