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Husband and wife team, Ian Mirfin and Janice Eaglesham named the UK winners of the BBC Sports Unsung Hero award

BBC Press Office

23 December 2011

Janice and Ian impressed the judges with their dedication to athletics coaching for people with disabilities, choosing them as the overall winner from the 15 regional winners across the UK and making them the first joint winners of the award.
The couple are the founders, organisers and coaches of The Red Star Athletics Club at Crownpoint in Dennistoun, Glasgow, which opened its doors in 1990.
The Red Star club began with just one athlete, Sam Howie, who has a visual impairment, while Eaglesham and Mirfin were nominated by Jamie Cuthbertson, who was blinded in an explosives accident while serving as a Captain with the Royal Engineers.
Jamie said: “The list of achievements gained by the Red Star athletes is too long to catalogue but it includes many, many medal winners and record holders at national, international, world, Para Olympic and Special Olympic level. Whether aspiring to the elite level or simply wanting to take part, many people have benefitted from the nurturing environment of the club and from Janice and Ian’s personal advice and coaching.”
Runners up in the BBC Sports Unsung Hero category, in no particular order, were Sean McGoldrick, a dedicated servant of Eoghan Rua GAA Club in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, Steve Pateman, a former Sumo wrestler who set up a community gym in the centre of Derby and Peter Thatcher, from Bath Judo club in Larkhall, Bath.
The award, now in its ninth year, recognises the outstanding contribution and extraordinary commitment of volunteers to grass-roots sport in the community.
Janice says of the award: "We get as much out of running the club as the athletes do by taking part. It's a pleasure - we have been very fortunate to have worked with so many exceptional people."
Ian added: "We have gained far more in return than we have ever invested. It's humbling to work with these athletes and to watch them progress and achieve their goals."
Carl Doran, Editor, BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011, said: "Year on year I’m absolutely amazed at the dedication that our Unsung Heroes show all over the UK. The standard this year was the highest I’ve known in all my years involved with the programme which says it all about our winners Janice and Ian. Sitting on the panel, what struck me the most was their absolute modesty and selflessness which shone through in all the work they do for others."
Janice and Ian were presented with their accolade at BBC Sports Personality of the Year held at MediaCityUK in Salford and broadcast live on BBC One.