TEAM OF THE YEAR: ENGLAND WOMEN'S CRICKET TEAM

What stood out for the judges about the England women’s cricket team in 2008 was the fact that they overcame every opposition they faced, losing only three of 22 one-day international matches. And, of course, there was the small matter of retaining the Ashes they had won in 2005 after a 42-year drought, beating Australia in the one-off Test match in Bowral, New South Wales. During the summer, seven different individuals collected player of the match awards and two English players, Claire Taylor and Charlotte Edwards, were nominated for the ICC Women’s Player of the Year Award, which the latter won ALSO NOMINATED: England women’s rugby union team and Yngling sailing trio (Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson)

SPORT ENGLAND COMMUNITY CLUB VOLUNTEER: KAY STOKES

That triathlon is one of the fastest growing participation sports in the country is partly down to people like Kay Stokes, a volunteer at Cleveland Triathlon Club, who have contributed to raising its profile, without asking for any financial incentive. Not only does she coach on a purely voluntary basis the junior teams at the Cleveland academy based in Middlesbrough, the hard-working mother of three is also a prominent figure within the sport in the northeast region ALSO NOMINATED: Lauren Cotton (Deben Swimming Club) and Janet Kidd (football coach of Oxford City Casuals)

WSFF SPONSORSHIP OF THE YEAR: THE COOPERATIVE

Having started their involvement in the sport only two years ago, with the sponsorship of the nine-team 2007-08 Netball Superleague campaign and then the England women’s international Test Series with Malawi, The Cooperative, the world’s largest consumer cooperative, have tried to raise the profile of one of the most popular team games for females in this country. The fact that, so far, more than 600,000 people have pledged their support for the sport to be included in the Olympics reflects their relentless, if not ingenious, commercial campaign - reasons why they were clear winners for this inaugural Award. ‘The Cooperative were chosen because they have implemented a sustained and successful marketing strategy with the specific aim of developing the sport of netball and its health benefits,’ said host Jill Douglas who handed the award to Liz Matkin and Debbie Robinson of The Cooperative

CCPR UNSUNG HERO AWARD: WENDY COLES

Wendy Coles is an unrewarded and often unrecognised heroine, whose support for elite British swimmers has been crucial to their success. Her official remit is compliance in the field of doping, but she is always on hand to dispense assistance and advice, having watched the current group of medal-winning Olympians - including Rebecca Adlington - first enter the water at the age of eight. ‘In every case her service and commitment to the cause are of the highest standard, extending way beyond what would normally be expected of an employee,’ said Dr Ian Gordon, the British Swimming and Olympic team doctor ALSO NOMINATED: Amanda Kirby (gymnastics coach at the City of Liverpool gymnastics club) and Sheila Plant (president of the Southern Counties Hockey Association)

DAVID LLOYD PE TEACHER OF THE YEAR: CHERYL BUCKLEY

Dame Kelly Holmes was among the first to congratulate Cheryl Buckley of Baxter College on Thursday. The school’s headmaster Dave Seddon revealed that Holmes had told her ‘that it’s people like Cheryl that are so important for the next generation of sportswomen. Kelly was indebted to the help of a teacher during her own career’. Buckley has helped to revolutionise what had been a failing PE department, increasing pupils’ confidence and improving subsequent examination results ALSO NOMINATED: Esther Amery (Toynbee School, Eastleigh, Hampshire) and Karen Griffiths (St Bernard’s Catholic High School, Barrow-in-Furness)

THE HELEN ROLLASON AWARD FOR INSPIRATION: JULIE SHARD

Samantha Cameron joined Eleanor Oldroyd, the BBC Radio 5 Live presenter to present the award named after Oldroyd’s former colleague. Helen Rollason died from cancer ten years ago and Oldroyd singled out her ‘dedication and passion’. Julie Shard from Cheshire embodies the same virtues. A volunteer for Special Olympics Great Britain for more than 20 years, she has never let adversity prevent her from coaching athletes. The mother of four teenage children - two of whom are Special Olympic athletes - has continued her voluntary work, seven days a week, despite complications arising from an operation to remove a tumour from her spine that affected her physical mobility. ‘Someone will open a door for me but our athletes have so many doors closed to them,’ she said