Olympic hero Peter Wilson salutes South Somerset's Gold Stars

THE pride of South Somerset gathered at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil last night (Tuesday, October 30) for the fifth annual Gold Star awards and it proved to be a truly inspirational evening.

The awards are held each year by South Somerset District Council to recognise the effort and commitment of individuals and organisations who make a real difference to their communities across the district and, in particular, helping young people in our society.

Guest of honour was Olympic Gold Medal winning shooter Peter Wilson (pictured below at the Octagon), who struck gold in the double trap at the London Games this summer on August 2, and he told the younger members in the audience that they must follow their dream.  

‘’When I was ten years old I had a dream that I wanted to win a Gold Medal, but at that stage I didn’t know what sport I was going to win it in,’’ he said.

Peter, who went to MillfieldSchool in Somerset, suffered a dislocated shoulder when he was snowboarding when aged about 14 and 15 and suddenly took up the sport of shooting because he could do it one-handed.

And the rest you could say was history.

‘’By the time I was 19 I decided that shooting was what I wanted to do and I knew I had to give it my best shot,’’ he said.

But the now 26-year-old suffered disaster in 2008 when he failed to make the 2008 Olympics and he lost his funding.

‘’It was a low point, but I got on with things and knew I had to fund my shooting myself,’’ he said.

‘’I got a job in the local pub and it was a great time in my life, although it was a terrible time in my sporting career.’’

But working long hours to raise money did nothing for his shooting career and so his parents stepped in to help.

He got his career back on track and came fourth in the 2011 European Shooting Championships, and then set a new world record for the double trap in a World Cup event in the USA before clinching an London Olympic spot.

And then six years of training finally paid off with him winning gold on August 2.

‘’I went into the Olympics not in the best of form, but I believed in myself,’’ he said. ‘’Everyone has doubts, but somewhere there was something telling me that I could win the gold medal and six years of training and hard work paid off.’’

And Peter told the audience: ‘’If you have a dream – please pursue it.’’

The evening was compered by Ian Burrage and Laura James, while hosting the awards were South Somerset District Council chairman, Cllr Mike Best, and culture and leisure spokesman, Cllr Sylvia Seal.

There were joint lifetime achievement award winners – recently retired Yeovil Swimming Club coach Derek White and tireless community worker Doreen Farrant.

Mrs Farrant was unavailable to be present at the ceremony so her six-year-old great-granddaughter Faith Watson (pictured with Olympic hero Peter Wilson) received the award on her behalf.     

Cllr Seal said: ‘’We had so many nominations and I really think that all those who have been nominated deserve an award.’’

It was a good night as well for the 1^st Chard Wheelers cycling club. The club’s Brandon Ellis received the Sports Coach of the Year award, while club member Weibke Rietz received the Senior Sports Performer of the Year.

Earlier in the evening the audience was entertained with performances by the Orchard Gymnastics group, girl-group Unique Faith, the Castaways drama group, and the Yeovil Foyer Band.

Awards: Sports Coach of the Year – Brandon Ellis, of the 1st Chard Wheelers cycling club; Young Volunteer of the Year – Liam Midwinter, Ilchester; Sports Club of the Year – Orchard Gymnastics, Yeovil; Male Volunteer of the Year – Mark Irwin, Langport; Rookie Coach of the Year – Gary Stickley, Yeovil; Female Volunteer of the Year – Paula Dowding, Chilthorne Domer; Senior Sports Performer of the Year – Weibke Rietz, of the 1st Chard Wheelers cycling club; Voluntary Club/Group of the Year – Langport and Huish Youth Club; Junior Sports Performer of the Year – Brendon Timewell, Yeovil Olympiads; Young People Project of the Year – Active Learning Skills Making a Difference, Chard; Lifetime Achievement – Doreen Farrant, Yeovil, and Derek White, Yeovil.

 Full list of nominations:

Sports Club of the Year: Orchard Gymnastics, Yeovil; Gryphon West Gym Club; Avishayes Combe Youth Football Club; Westland Judo Club, Yeovil; Yeovil Town Ladies FC; Yeovil Netball Club; Yeovil Swimming Club.

Sports Coach of the Year: Brandon Ellis, Axminster; Grahame Baker, Bruton; Keith Walters, Sherborne; Jane Bell; Samantha Newton; Kenny Timson, Ilminster.

Female Volunteer of the Year: Louise Phelan, West Coker; Karen Travers, Shepton Mallet; Jane Bell, Yeovil; Renira Rutherford, South Petherton; Tina Boyce, Yeovil; Susan Hall, Yeovil; Judith Hurley, Somerton; Cas Sandy, Castle Cary; Paula Dowding, Chilthorne Domer; Jude Noake, Montacute; Laura Morris, Yeovil; Lisa Eastment Hoare, Somerton.

Rookie Coach of the Year: Georgia Holder, Stoke-sub-Hamdon; Jason Hole, Ilminster; Gary Stickley, Yeovil.

Junior Sports Performer of the Year: Louise Miller; Ryan White, Ilminster; Rachael Packard; Brendon Timewell.

Male Volunteer of the Year: Ben Swainson, South Petherton; Mark Irwin, Langport; Cristopher Hutton, Marston Magna; Mark Talbot, Marston Magna; Gary Stickley, Yeovil; Rod Barclay, Ilchester.

Senior Sports Performer of the Year: Weibke Rietz, Chard; Sara Geary, Langport.

Young People Project of the Year: Ilchester Youth Parish Council; Active Learning Skills Making A Difference, Chard.

Young Volunteer of the Year: Liam Midwinter, Ilchester; Emma Charlton, Yeovil; Georgina Marks, Yeovil; Ginnie Johnston, Yeovil.

Voluntary Group/Club of the Year: Langport and Huish Youth Club; Gryphon West Gym Club; Yeovil Lynx Wheelchair Basketball Club; Promise Mentoring and Advocacy; Westland Judo Club, Yeovil; Wincanton Town FC.

Lifetime achievement: Stephen Luther Amson, Wincanton; Jean Raphael, Yeovil; Jane Jeanes, Templecombe; Doreen Farrant, Yeovil; Jane Haine, Martock; Glenn Seymour, Yeovil; Derek White; Kim Scotting, Ilminster.

Tags:
News.