Dedicated teacher is a real class act

A LONG-SERVING Skegness Grammar School teacher was among those recognised at the annual Lincolnshire Sports Awards.

Assistant headteacher and director of specialisms at the school, Nigel Roylance, received the award for contributions to physical activity during the ceremony, which was held at the Lincolnshire Showground.

He has taught at the school for 30 years and during that time has played an active role in promoting sport at the school and in the local community.

Currently the chairman of the Skegness Sports Forum, Nigel is also involved with the Lincolnshire branch of the Royal Life Saving Society, the East Lindsey table tennis league and helping to develop junior golf at Seacroft Golf Club. Mr Roylance said: "I was very pleased to be nominated for the award as I did not know until the final stages.

"There were a lot of very special people there and, to be honest, I did not expect to win it.

"I was extremely pleased to do so, it was a lovely evening.

"I came to the school as head of PE in 1979 and that gave me a bit of a kick start in terms of all the activities.

"I was involved in setting up a fair number of things, both at school and outside.

"I think the award is really a recognition of what was done in that period of time.

"Many young people at many different schools have been involved in those activities over the years."

The award was sponsored by NHS Lincolnshire and the other nominations in the category were for Jayne Wiltowski, of Scamblesby, and Jackie Brown of Gainsborough.

Other nominees from the east coast area included Vincent Blay, who was nominated for the Active4Lincolnshire award after passing through East Lindsey District Council's health scheme with health trainers, which made a dramatic improvement to his life.

The event, organised by the Lincolnshire Sports Partnership, is now in its sixth year and celebrates local sportsmen and women throughout the county.

A total of 39 people throughout Lincolnshire were shortlisted for the awards after the Lincolnshire Sports Partnership received more than 200 nominations.