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.”