Sport in the Community Awards: Mike Mitcham champions cause for junior hockey
Cambridge United champion and school of the month winners
Mike Mitcham is the champion of the month in the Cambridge United Sport in the Community Awards.
He is the chairman of a blooming junior section at Cambridge City Hockey Club, having been a member of the club since the late 1970s, and during that time has taken on most roles on the committee, including captaining the first XI.
But he has been in the role of chairman of the junior section for the past 15 years.
When Mike took over there were very few members and even fewer coaches, but it is now a thriving junior club with more than 300 members, from under-eights to under-18s.
With the help of wife Teresa, they have made sure each age group has a volunteer administrator and a group of coaches to ensure improvement of all members.
Mike has been instrumental in providing a pathway for juniors to play senior hockey, which has led to many youngsters representing their country.
Each age group are regularly representing Cambridgeshire in the regional rounds of the England Hockey competitions, and they often reach the national finals, with the under-18s crowned national champions in 2015.
Mike also helps out with the club in other ways, playing for whichever team needs him and umpiring regularly on Saturdays.
School of the month:
Hills Road Sixth Form College have a long history of fundraising.
Each year for the last 10 years, students from the school have organised a 4.5km run for their fellow students and staff to participate in and raise money.
For the last seven years they have raised money for the Teenage Cancer Trust, which has totalled more than £60,000.
The 10th anniversary fundraising run will take place on Wednesday, April 26.
Judith Anderson, of the Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “Hills Road’s fundraising is an exceptional example of charity engagement from a school.
“The Teenage Cancer Trust is delighted to be able to benefit from the brilliant work of Hills Road’s students and look forward to supporting the 4.5k run on April 26.”
