SPORTING stars from across the county were heralded at the fourth annual Get Berkshire Active Inspiration & Participation Awards on Friday evening.

Compared to the other 42 County Sports Partnerships, Get Berkshire Active is still a relatively young organisation but it has big ideas and ambition, none of which can be achieved in isolation.

Getting Berkshire active, with more people playing sports and taking regular exercise, is a challenge that everyone can make into a reality.

And as such over 300 people, in partnership and collaboration with Get Berkshire Active, packed out the Windsor suite at the Hilton Hotel in Reading to celebrate the successes and contributions of stars in 2015.

Julian Dale and Chris Humphris were both honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award for their services to Chinese Martial Arts and SportsAble respectively.

PICTURE GALLERY: The fourth annual Get Berkshire Active Inspiration & Participation Awards

Dale, 48, and a master of Kung Fu, told the Midweek Observer: “Winning awards like this enables me to work further in the community and to bring the benefits and the enjoyment that I have had to a wider audience.”

Humphris, a long-standing volunteer at SportsAble in Maidenhead, said: “It makes me feel very good but I think the main thing is I have enjoyed that 30 -years, it has been very special to me.”

The leading prize, the Sports Personality of the Year award, went to Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, – a member of Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow Athletics Club.

The British middle distance runner, competes in the 800m at a world class level, and enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2015, which included a fifth place finish at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

Oskan-Clarke said: “I really did not expect this award. Everyone said, oh you might win, but it is amazing because it shows how much support I have from the community.

“It was a big year and obviously I am happy with my achievements. It is so nice to feel that I am supported and have everyone behind me.”

See Friday's Observer for a full report and pictures from the awards, and reaction from the winners of 2015.