Torchbearers inspire sporting enthusiasts

The inspirational stories of two young Olympic Torchbearers were told by the boys themselves to encourage people to nominate candidates for the Newark and Sherwood Sports Awards.

Sam White, 15, and Luke White, 12, who are not related, wore their Torchbearer uniforms and allowed passers-by to hold the torch in Newark Market Place on Saturday, the morning after the spectacular opening ceremony at the Olympics.

Sam, a pupil of the Grove School, Balderton, was nominated as a torchbearer for his bravery in fighting a cancerous brain tumour that left him needing to relearn many everyday actions.

Luke, a pupil at the Magnus Church of England School, Newark, is an under-13 player at Lincoln City’s centre of excellence.

He was born with a congenital melanocytic nevus, a type of birthmark, on the side of his face for which he has had regular treatment since the age of nine months.

It is hoped their stories will inspire people to nominate sporting heroes for Newark and Sherwood District Council’s annual awards, which are in November.

Sam said: “I had quite a few people wanting to hold the torch and asking me about my story. I was pleased to be able to help out.”

Luke said: “People have been asking me what it was like to be a torchbearer and about the Olympics.”

Alexis Knock, community development manager at the district council, said she hoped the combination of the boys’ stories and the Olympics would have an inspirational effect.

“We have had lots of people wanting photos and asking questions of the boys,” she said.

“They have really been in demand and have been doing a great job.

“We deliberately timed it to coincide with the opening of the Olympics. The whole ethos of the awards is to inspire a new generation of sportsmen and women and it really tied in with that.”

The awards categories are Junior Team, Junior Sportsperson, Junior Disabled Sportsperson, Junior Volunteer, Senior Disabled Sportsperson, Senior Sportsperson, Senior Team, Coach, Volunteer and Club of the Year, and an Outstanding Contribution to Sport award.

Nominees must live or be involved in an organisation based in Newark and Sherwood.

For full detail and nomination forms visit www.nsdc.info/sportsawardss