Sports award to be named in memory of Advertiser reporter Warwick Lane

A category in the Newark and Sherwood Sports Awards is to be named after the Advertiser's own sports reporter Warwick Lane who died in August after a brave battle with leukaemia.

As a tribute to Rick, the Active4Today organising team worked along side his family to re-name the Junior Sportsperson award to the Warwick Lane Junior Sportsperson of the Year.

Alexis Knock, director of communities Active4Today, said: “This is a truly fitting tribute to a passionate sportsman, who did everything he could to ensure that the profile of any sport locally was as high as it could possibly be.

"He worked closely with a range of clubs, coaches and individuals to get their story heard, as well as working with ourselves at Active4Today and Radio Newark.

"Rick's great passion for local sport, not only with within his profession, but within his personal time was clear to see and appreciated by everyone."

The award celebrates young sports people who go the extra mile and continue fighting when times are tough, a description fitting to Rick's story.

The 25-year-old bravely battled through leukaemia in 2017 and returned to work to the delight of his friends, family and the local sport community.

However, the leukaemia returned and, sadly, Rick was unable to beat it for a second time and died following an unexpected deterioration in his condition.

While in Nottingham City hospital, Rick launched a campaign which has been trending on social media under the hashtag #WarwicksWarriors.

It details the importance of joining a stem cell register to help others like Rick who might need a bone marrow transfer and was written from his hospital bed.

A recording of Rick talking about the campaign and his experiences was played at the end of his funeral, which was attended by more than 200 people.

Information fliers promoting the Anthony Nolan blood cancer charity were included in bags handed to runners at the finish of Newark Half-marathon earlier this month.

Joining the Anthony Nolan register involves filling out a form and swabbing cheeks. People can sign up online.

The charity is looking for anyone aged 16 to 30 who is in good health to consider joining.

It particularly needs more young men. Antony Nolan specifically targets 16 to 30 year-olds.

For more information on the work of Antony Nolan, go to anthonynolan.org/join

The 2017 winner of the Junior Sportperson award was Newark sprinter Amy Hunt, who has gone on to achieve further success.

The 16-year-old recently won gold in the 100m at the National Athletics Championships last month, beating her personal best time with an run of 11-56 seconds.

There are ten other awards in the sports awards.