TAMHI celebrated at star-studded Sport Gives Back Awards
By Sported | 28 February 2024
The tireless efforts of Joe Donnelly from Belfast-based charity TAMHI to change the lives of others through sport have been recognised at the Sport Gives Back Awards in London.
Donnelly was chosen by Sported to win The Community Sport Social Impact Award prize at the ceremony at Cadogan Hall in Chelsea on Wednesday evening. The award was presented by Frank and Christine Lampard in front of a star-studded audience which included Dame Kelly Holmes and Sir Mo Farah.
Sarah Kaye, CEO of community sport charity Sported who nominated TAHMI – short for Tackling Awareness of Mental Health Issues – for the prestigious award, hailed its trailblazing work since it was founded in 2011 following the death by suicide of Tammy, Joe’s close friend.
With a community focus that aims to educate, encourage learning, and tackles the root of problems, TAMHI uses sport as a conduit to grow the mental health resilience of young people in Northern Ireland including the development of the Mental Wealth Games, a toolkit which has attracted plaudits from elsewhere in the UK which incorporates football and other games.
Kaye said: “TAHMI is the model of a small charity doing big things while transforming – and saving – lives. It’s so vital that our next generation have these safe spaces where sport allows them to open up and be supported in a way that makes them more resilient and ready for life’s challenges.
“Community organisations like these deserve more support. They can often be overlooked amid a focus on participation or high performance. But the impact made by Joe and his team makes them the very best of investments.”
Previous
Next
Joe Donnelly, founder of TAMHI, is pleased at the recognition of the charity’s work and the difference it has made to the mental health of thousands of young people.
“Sport provides the opportunity to work with young people in a way that engages them. It provides a platform to address mental health while getting them active and creating a platform for change. Through the positive impact on young people we work with, they can then create change in others to make sure we contribute to a better society. But it needs more support to make sure community sport organisations like ours can continue to transform lives, particularly in Northern Ireland and in dealing with the unique challenges in our communities.”
Saluting TAHMI, former Chelsea and England football star Frank Lampard said: “Football means so much to all of us but it’s even more powerful when it’s used in a positive way to give back. Community sports groups are such a priceless resource in our communities to open the door to better life chances for our young people. Seeing what Joe and his team at Tamhi have accomplished underlines why they deserve recognition and our support.”
Television presenter Christine Lampard said: “TAMHI is making a difference to thousands of young people in Northern Ireland every year. Joe and his team have created an amazing charity. Mental health is such a huge issue, it’s so heartening to see the powerful impact they’ve delivered recognised in this way.”
The nation will be able to witness TAMHI’s proud moment when the Sport Gives Back Awards are broadcast on ITV on Sunday, March 24. Sported is just one of eight charities which will be seen handing out awards on the programme, alongside Dallaglio RugbyWorks, Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, Greenhouse Sports, Invictus Games, Lord’s Taverners, Sport Works and Youth Sport Trust.
Sponsored by The Co-operative Bank, the Sport Gives Back Awards is the brainchild of former international athlete Connie Henry MBE. She said: “Sport changed my life as a teenager. It gave me the stability, focus and opportunity I wouldn’t otherwise have had.
“When I retired from athletics, I set up Track Academy, a charity which supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in north London, where I grew up myself. Over the last 15 years, we have helped hundreds of students to succeed both on and off the track.”
She added: “Back in 2019, I realised that there was no platform where charities and organisations like ours could shout about the amazing work we do through sport. As a result, I decided to set up Sport Gives Back to celebrate those who use sport for social change.”
The Co-operative Bank has chosen to sponsor the awards because its ethical brand aligns perfectly with Sport Gives Back’s philosophy. Supporting local communities has been a fundamental part of The Co-operative Bank’s unique customer-led Ethical Policy for over 30 years. It has also informed its commitment to supporting those that make local communities better for all through its Customer Donation Fund (CDF).
Since 2003, the CDF has donated over £1.1 million to support more than 1,200 community projects all over the UK, from local football clubs to community food banks.
Nick Slape, Chief Executive Officer at The Co-operative Bank, said: “We are so proud to be sponsoring this year’s Sport Gives Back Awards. We’ve always put local communities at the heart of what we do and Sport Gives Back celebrates the invaluable work of charities, organisations and individuals up and down the country who change lives through sport. It’s important to recognise the impact that they have had across their communities.”
Added Richard Botchway, ITV Sport’s assistant commissioner, said: “We are looking forward to ITV broadcasting the Sport Gives Back Awards, highlighting the incredible impact and positive difference that sport has made in communities far and wide.”