Sean Coxhead Winner 2023

The winner of the 2023 Sean Coxhead Inspiring Individual award is Louise Cheong from GoodGym York.

The Inspiring Individual award is given annually, and recoginises one GoodGymer who has shown remarkable dedication, kindness or effort. The award is in celebration of Sean Coxhead, a GoodGymer in York who sadly passed away following a diagnosis of bladder cancer. Sean inspired all of us with his outstanding courage, determination and commitment to GoodGym and his community. You can read all about the award and what it means to us at GoodGym in this story.

Nominations are made by the GoodGym community with the final decision being made by four amazing people with a connection to GoodGym's mission:

Sheila Attenborough: Sheila Attenborough is a GoodGymer from Windsor & Maidenhead who has completed over 500 good deeds. In 2022 Sheila was awarded the Sean Coxhead Inspiring Individual award for her outstanding contribution to the GoodGym community.

Jane Ashcroft CBE: Jane Ashcroft CBA has recently joined GoodGym as the Chair of Trustees and is a keen runner and fitness enthusiast. Prior to joining GoodGym Jane was Chief Executive of Anchor, England's largest care and housing provider for older people.

Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi: Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi is a lifestyle TV doctor and Team GB age-group long-distance triathlete. He has a varied portfolio career across several sectors. These include being the Royal College of GPs lifestyle and physical activity lead, Leamington personalised care lead, plus a Swim England and Nutritank clinical advisor.

Sarah Ridley: Sarah Ridley is the director of the Peter Harrison Foundation, an organisation which has given £50 million to projects across the UK which focus on opportunities for self-development through participation in sport and physical activity.

Louise was chosen because of her outstanding contribution to the GoodGym community and beyond, with the award judged on four criteria:

• Impact: how great their impact has been
• Dedication: the dedication they have demonstrated and how they've gone above and beyond expectations as a GoodGym community member
• Overcoming adversity: their ability to show resilience and strength whilst supporting others
• Kindness: how they've demonstrated kindness and extra effort
  

Louise joined GoodGym in September 2019 when she lived in York. She didn't take long to get stuck in and just a few months later completed 47 good deeds in January 2020. Now based in Newham, Louise has completed 394 good deeds in 2023 and is well known all over London. Caitlin Rollison, a GoodGymer from Islington who nominated Louise for the award, said:

"Louise is such an active member many of us suspect she must have a time-turner to fit everything in - it is not unusual to see her take on multiple missions and community missions per day in different areas of London. This no doubt contributes to her incredible distance records. She also finds time to fit GoodGym tasks in around her work shifts and other commitments and you will often see her taking on the weekday daytime missions like grocery shopping and prescription collection that are often the most important but hardest to fill."

Louise's incredible year has included:

• 128 missions to support older people
• 266 group sessions to support charities and community groups
• Running over 1300km

Upon hearing that she'd won, Louise said: "I am truly honoured to have won the Sean Coxhead Award! I really feel GoodGym has given so much to me. I discovered it whilst I was going through a hard time in my life and it has really helped me when I have had tough times, including adjusting to moving to a new part of the country. Helping other people enriches me, and I love seeing the places and people we've made a difference to when passing by. I have visited so many places that I wouldn't have travelled to otherwise without GoodGym; it has really helped me discover the areas where I live."

Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi said: "Louise has shown tremendous dedication to GoodGym completing on average more than one good deed a day, which reflects that she has helped so many people. She has shown incredible strength to do all this around her own commitments and personal health needs, showing real selfless motivation to help others"

The winner of last years award, Sheila Attenborough, said: "Louise has had a huge impact on so many people's lives this year, it was heart-warming to hear of the number and variety of missions that she has completed. A truly worthy recipient of this award, perfectly demonstrating the GoodGym spirit"

Give Louise a cheer here

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