People are being urged to vote for Carolyn Hallam, health and wellbeing manager for Mansfield Leisure Centres, who is in the running for ‘Physical Activity Champion of the Year’ in this year’s ukactive Awards, postponed from 2020.

Carolyn works with organisations and groups across Mansfield, including the Mansfield Health Partnership, Dementia Action Alliance, health services and community organisations, to help persuade people to become more active.

She is a well-known face at events set up for residents not being catered for by traditional health and fitness provisions.  

Carolyn has been with Mansfield District Leisure Trust since July 2014. Before that she worked in community development, both in paid and voluntary roles. 

One of her biggest achievements of 2019 was the success of Mansfield’s Healthy Life scheme. Carolyn took over control of an exercise referral scheme in 2016 from Mansfield District Council and worked to build up 40 referral sources, including GPs, physios, pre-op assessment, weight management, pain management practitioners.

Carolyn and her team’s work has helped almost 600 people since she took control of the scheme. 

A large percentage of the population will always join gyms and swimming pools, or take up sports, whether we promote to them or not. Other people need a little help and a nudge. But, there is a huge percentage of the population who don’t even consider those options, people being forgotten about, overlooked. For Carolyn, those are the people she helps, the people she spends every working hour reaching out to.  

Paul Suter, marketing manager for Mansfield Leisure Centres, said: “Having worked with Carolyn for over two years now, her commitment, empathy to others, particularly those often unrepresented in the local community is admirable.

“She drives the use of all our facilities in Mansfield, focussing on disadvantaged sectors of the community, ensuring everybody, whatever their level of fitness has access to activities and sports, benefitting them both physically and mentally. She’s an inspiration to work with.”

David Evans, head of health and communities for the district council, added: “It is always a pleasure to work with Carolyn. She is enthusiastic about getting people active and in understanding and addressing the barriers that people face in doing so. She is always going the extra mile. She plays a vital part in getting people more active, more often in Mansfield.”

To vote for Carolyn go to https://www.ukactive.com/ukactive-awards-voting