Kerry Dutton and Adam and Nicky McCulloch are all keyworkers who have gone above and beyond during the Covid-19 pandemic to continue to support youth and junior members at Chichester Westgate Triathlon Club.
Throughout 2020, the trio have supported the members at the club alongside Neil Bradfield to stay engaged and active in both the virtual world and in person when it was permitted.
Shaun Dowling, head coach at the club, said: “What they’ve done this year has been extraordinary. To have carried on their public service jobs whilst providing a range of activities for our youth and junior members has been simply amazing.
“During the first lockdown, when the children weren’t in school, the four coaches helped keep them connected and active with a variety of online activities and challenges for them to complete at home, as well as organising a fundraiser that raised over £3,500 for Mind, the mental health charity.”
During the summer and into autumn, once the suspension on triathlon activity was lifted, Green, the McCullochs, Bradfield and Dutton helped the youth and juniors to safely return to in-person activity having kept them going virtually during the initial lockdown period.
“As soon as we were able to return to training, the work they put in to make it happen was amazing,” Dowling commented. “With all the risk assessments, protocols and practices in place, the members were all safe when taking part and the environment of hope and positivity the four had built online was key to a successful return.
“I went to the early sessions to support and reassure them as head coach of the club, and it was just great to see the bubbles of children taking part and all the parents having been supported to know what to do when dropping them off and collecting them again at the end.”
With a second national lockdown put in place across England in November, sessions and support to take part at home were once again provided by the coaches.
“Going back to online and virtual training was easier than having to do it for the first time,” Dowling added. “With the experience of the first lockdown and the fact that the children are still going to school and taking part in PE lessons, it has lifted some weight from them.
“They’re still working really hard to keep our youth and junior members active and engaged second time around and we all just want to say a massive thank you for the hard work they’ve put in across the year and continue to do so for both the club and the community.”
