22.11.2007
Joanna Gardiner, a Physical Education PGCE student, has received The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year 'Helen Rollason Award for Inspiration' for her work with Football for Peace (F4P).
It was the 23-year-old's diligent and unpaid volunteering work that separated her from other students and won her the coveted award. For the past three years Joanna has been involved as a volunteer with the university's F4P project. Based in northern Israel, the project encourages the integration of Jewish and Arabs boys and girls, aged 10-15, through football. Since becoming involved in the project, Joanna (pictured below) has established herself as a key member of this team.
“I have learned so much," Joanna said. "I have learned that Israel is not a country that is it properly portrayed in the media. They are very humble and appreciative of our project. Football is a language that so many people understand. It is a tool that can be used for benefit and bringing out the values we teach."
Not only does Joanna spend part of her free time coaching youngsters in one of the most politically sensitive areas in the world, running a tournament for 50 girls playing in mixed-religious teams in March prior to Israel's Euro 2008 qualifying match with England, Joanna also teaches potential adult coaches from different parts of Europe, travelling to Northern Ireland and Germany, hoping to spread the ethos of peace and co-existence through football in particularly divided communities. She also spends her time working in projects in the UK that help and support refugee and immigrant children.
A keen footballer, who once played for Arsenal Ladies and carried the flag for Britain in Rome this summer at the European University women's football championships, The Sunday Times described Joanna as "a resourceful, energetic, vibrant and passionate person who inspires all of her university colleagues and has all the necessary attributes required for an exceptional career as a PE teacher".
"She is a real example to her peer group as well as to many young women and girls involved in sport," said Gary Stidder, senior lecturer in PE at the university. "She has always set and maintained very high professional standards and has been a real example for others in her field to follow."
Sportswoman of the Year 'Helen Rollason Award for Inspiration' commemorates the life of former BBC sports broadcaster. A founding judge of these awards and honorary graduate at the University of Brighton, Helen Rollason died of cancer eight years ago. The award was established in her memory to recognise inspirational endeavour within sport. The Sunday Times wrote that there were 'few who epitomise that more than this year’s deserving recipient, Joanna Gardiner.'
Joanna has also been shortlisted for the BBC South East SportsWomen of the Year Award and 'Coach of the Year' Award at the Sussex Sports Awards. Football for Peace will receive an EU 'United by Sports' Award in Berlin.
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton, 01273 643022
