The annual Move More Awards were held on Friday 17 April 2026 and recognised the individuals, organisations and communities who work tirelessly to build a healthier, happier and more connected city through Sheffield's Move More programme, which aims to expand access to sport, exercise, and physical activity for all.
The 2026 winners included a former boxer helping young people at risk of a life of crime and a partnership that created a seated dance initiative to support the physical and mental wellbeing of over 500 Sheffield care home residents living with dementia.
Move More Sheffield is one of the delivery arms of the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (NCSEM), a strategic partnership of organisations across the health and care system in Sheffield, driven from its research hub at Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre.
Its annual awards honour the efforts of those in Sheffield, who have shown outstanding dedication and innovation in helping tens of thousands of people across the city get active and enjoy healthier lives.
The full list of winners from the night are:
- Move More Community Activity Champion of the Year – Tracey Barnes, Dancing for Health
- Move More Active Travel Award - Caroline Branigan, Wellbeing Walks
- Move More Physical Activity Provider of the Year – Tracey Barnes, Step Forward Project
- Move More Active Environment Award – Des Smith, The Windrush Garden
- Move More Clinical Service of the Year – Active Together Sheffield
- Move More Sports Team of the Year – Steel City Sports CIC
- Move More Educational Champion – Lauren Donnelly, Arches School Sports Partnership
- Move More Educational Setting of the Year – E-act Pathways Academy
- Move More Inclusive Champion of the Year – Darnall Wellbeing
- Move More Sporting Spirit Award – Louie Wood
- Move More Community Project of the Year – Dancing with Dementia
- Move More Changemaker Award – Sheffield Play Partnership Move More Unsung Hero - Ronny Tucker, Aspire Boxing Club
Community leader Ronny Tucker, owner of Aspire Boxing Club, won the Move More Unsung Hero Award for his work supporting young people on the verge of life in crime. The award recognises Ronny’s passion for the sport and his efforts in making it a safe space for young people to thrive through the adversity and challenges in their lives.
On receiving his award, Ronny said: “To be nominated for the unsung hero award was an honour and a privilege, to win the award was just amazing. Although we do not do what we do for awards it was nice to be recognised for the work that we do. Aspire Boxing Club opened in 1990, the barrier to engagement is often the cost, we remove those barriers by providing a free facility. I'm proud of the fact that several ex-boxers from Aspire Boxing Club are now running their own gyms, continuing Aspire Boxing Clubs legacy and contributing to getting people to move more.
“What stood out for me on the evening was the amount of people in the room who are doing some excellent work across Sheffield, this is something that as a city we should be proud of. Getting people involved in sport/physical activity is important for physical health and mental wellbeing, people meet friends at the same time, and they feel that they are in a safe place.”
Tracey Barnes won three Move More Awards for working with Sheffcare to bring Dancing for Health, a seated dance and exercise initiative, to people living with dementia in care homes across the city. 'Dancing with Dementia' now helps over 500 care home residents, supporting their brain, body health and mental health, creating opportunities for residents to connect and have fun.
Speaking at the ceremony, Tracey said: “I’m absolutely delighted, honoured and still a little shocked to have won three awards at the Move More 2026 Sheffield event. It was an incredible evening, and I felt so proud to stand alongside so many organisations doing outstanding work across Sheffield to support our communities through sport, exercise and physical activity.
“For me and for Dancing for Health CIC, this recognition means a great deal. It reflects not just what we do, but the real, tangible impact that dance can have on people’s lives. Choreographed Movement to music is incredibly powerful. I’ve seen care home residents living with dementia join in sessions when they previously didn’t engage, and even those who are non-verbal speak some words again! I’ve watched people living with cancer push through fatigue and nausea to attend, because the sessions give them strength, connection and support while gradually rebuilding their fitness. And I’ve seen stroke survivors, both recent and from many years ago, benefit from the encouragement and peer support in our Stepping Forward wellbeing group.
“These awards are not just mine, they belong to our amazing team of Dancing for Health instructors, our partners, and every single person who takes part in our sessions. You are the reason we do what we do, and this recognition is a celebration of all of you.”
The ceremony brought together regional leaders from across the city, including the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), Sheffield City Council, Sport England and the Yorkshire Sport Foundation, to hear the stories of those making a difference in projects across the city involving active travel, health and social care, community action, inclusivity, education and sporting spirit.
Commenting on the event, South Yorkshire’s Active Lives Commissioner, Ed Clancy OBE, said: “Congratulations to everyone recognised at the Move More Awards. This is prevention in action through partnership - removing barriers, opening doors and helping more people move more, and move differently, as part of everyday life. The tireless efforts of individuals, organisations and communities across Sheffield are tackling health inequalities and building healthier, happier and more connected lives, and it’s something everyone involved should be incredibly proud of.”
Dr Marlize De Vivo, NCSEM Director, based at Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, said: “The Move More Awards are a reminder that change in Sheffield is already happening, day in and day out, through the people, organisations and partnerships who are making it easier for others to move more. This year’s winners represent the very best of that effort. They are improving lives, strengthening communities and showing what is possible when physical activity is embedded where people live, work and socialise.
Continuing the celebrations, a major new investment was announced at the ceremony, with the news that the city has been selected to receive £1.7m through Sport England’s ‘Place Expansion’ programme.
Coupled with additional match funding from the NCSEM’s Sheffield partners, over £2m will be invested over the next two years to help expand the efforts of those recognised through the Move More Awards, strengthening the work already happening across the city.
Delivered through the NCSEM Sheffield partnership, the funding will build on a decade of work addressing deep-rooted inequalities in health and physical activity. In Sheffield, inactivity is highest in communities facing economic disadvantage and long-term health conditions, with gaps in healthy life expectancy of up to 20 years between neighbourhoods.
This investment will focus on five priority neighbourhoods, and on people most affected by inactivity, including those living with long-term health conditions and communities experiencing multiple disadvantage.
Dr Marlize De Vivo, Director of NCSEM Sheffield, added: “In Sheffield, patterns of health and physical activity reflect deeper, structural inequalities across the city and addressing those requires sustained, coordinated action. This investment allows us to respond to that with a level of intent and coordination that has not been possible before.
“Over the next two years, we are committing to building on what is already working and bringing together community, health and care pathways and local infrastructure into a single, coherent programme of work designed to influence outcomes, not just physical activity levels, to make it easier for people to be active as part of everyday life.”
Steven Pleasant MBE, Chair of the NCSEM Sheffield and Healthy Life Expectancy Lead for SYMCA, said: “The stories we have heard tonight are a powerful reminder that improving health and wellbeing in Sheffield does not start in hospitals or policies alone – it starts in communities. By backing what works locally and aligning investment with community insight, we can make physical activity part of daily life for many more people.
“This new investment gives Sheffield a real opportunity to build on this momentum. It allows us to accelerate progress, strengthen partnerships and, most importantly, improve healthy life expectancy for those who need it most. That is something we can all be proud of.”
The NCSEM Sheffield is powered by a strategic partnership of organisations including Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, Sheffield City Council, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Voluntary Action Sheffield, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, UK Sports Institute Sheffield, Yorkshire Sport Foundation.
