MELISSA Paulden has hailed SportsAble for its ability to bring out the best in people after the charity was heralded for their outstanding achievements on Friday.

SportsAble is a unique sports disability charity, dedicated to the promotion of awareness of disability through sport and recreational activity, as well as the integration of disabled and able-bodied people.

Its fine work was celebrated with two prizes at the 2015 Get Berkshire Active Inspiration & Participation Awards.

Chris Humpris was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award having been a long-standing volunteer at SportsAble, and Gill Gibbs was named Volunteer of the Year for her work with the charity, which began back in 1995.

The SportsAble 22-mile Channel Swim was also nominated for the Health Project of the Year, and award won by West Berkshire Run England.

Paulden, marketing manager at SportsAble, was delighted the charity was recognised at the awards dinner believing it offers a home from home for all its members.

PHOTO GALLERY: 2015 Get Berkshire Active Inspiration & Participation Awards

“To be acknowledged amongst the mainstream sporting world for what we do in Berkshire for disability sport is great,” she told the Observer. “It really was a fantastic evening.

“We have been doing it now for 40 years and I am really proud of all our nominees.

“It was a shame about the swim because we are really passionate about that project, but I am pleased that Gill won as she has been volunteering for 20 years.

“She has retired now but is carrying on, and trying to count the amount of hours she does a week is impossible.

“Gill works with people of all ages, particularly youngsters, but is also a fundraiser. She doesn’t give up when she goes out fundraising because she is really passionate about it.

“Gill and Chris have been volunteering for a long time, and I think you find that happens at SportsAble.

“You join as a member or volunteer and you don’t leave, it becomes a home from home.

“You understand the needs of individual people. When they come through the door you know what their needs and goals are, and you don’t want to let them down. That is what we do.

“We want to give each person a personal experience and help them to achieve whatever it is they want.

“Whether that is getting out of the house once or twice a week just to break up the boredom at home, or if they want to train for a competition, maybe the Paralympics one day.

“It is a big job but our volunteers make it easy and we get immense joy out of it. You just have to speak to the members to find that out.

“One of our biggest successes was a couple of years ago, a 53-year-old man who was told he could never swim elsewhere.

“But you come to a specialist place like SportsAble and the passion, knowledge, commitment and facilities we have brings out the best in people.

“I think it is the support and encouragement from the volunteers as well that really drive people on and help them.”

Paulden continued: “You don’t do it for the awards, but it is nice to be recognised I think, particularly for people like Chris and Gill who have been doing it week-in-week-out for decades.

“It’s great to applaud them because they have changed the lives of so many people and that is what we are about.

“We are not going to give up either. There is no dropping the baton, we are going to carry on. We are always looking forward, and always planning for bigger and brighter things.”