Cricketer leading disability project wins Sport Gives Back Award

A man with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and learning difficulties who overcame his challenges to help lead a charity disability cricket project has said “I’ve proved a lot of people wrong” after he won a Sport Gives Back Award for his work.

Connor Hyde, who won an Inspire award, works with the Lord’s Taverners charity’s Somerset Super 1s disability cricket project and runs some of the sessions, coaches at his local cricket club and is a personal trainer.

The awards winners were nominated by their respective charities to thank them for their work in their communities and recognise the role that grassroots sports can play in addressing social challenges.

Eight awards were handed out at a star-studded ceremony at Cadogan Hall in west London, which will be aired on ITV on Sunday.

The Duke of Sussex also made an appearance via video message for the Invictus Games Foundation community liaison manager Josh Boggi, who was chosen as the winner of the Unconquered award.

Receiving an Inspire award from England cricketer Chris Woakes, Mr Hyde said: “I’ve proved a lot of people wrong, if I didn’t have the cricket, I don’t think I would be as happy.”

Receiving his award, he said: “It’s changed my life really. When I went there I wasn’t sure what it was, I thought it was rounders, to be honest!

“But I found out it was cricket, started loving it, gave it my absolute all and then started cricket coaching and I’ve enjoyed it every single day.”

His mum Amanda Purchase said: “Connor was born with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and learning difficulties. He couldn’t walk properly for three years. We didn’t know if he was going to live.

“Perhaps I actually grieved that he would never be able to have a normal life. Sport is Connor’s life – a lot of mainstream sports don’t really include people who have disabilities.

“Super 1s is fully inclusive, he’s always trying to improve, not only himself but so he then can pass that on. For him to say, ‘I’m going to work,’ That isn’t something I ever thought I’d hear.”

The Duke of Sussex, a founding patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, which is one of the charities honoured during the show, sent a video tribute to the foundation’s community liaison manager Josh Boggi, who was chosen as the winner of the Unconquered award.

Mr Boggi, based in Reading, lost both legs and his right arm while serving in Afghanistan and went on to develop a love of hand cycling during his recovery.

Now he works with other international wounded and sick service personnel to give them similar opportunities and aid their recovery.

In the surprise video appearance, Harry said: “Josh, you are a truly remarkable human. There is no-one in the world who deserves this more; you are the personification of resilience.”

In his video accompanying the award, Mr Boggi said: “Cycling to me is my freedom – I should be dead, I shouldn’t be here doing this, it’s that sense of being alive, that’s what it means to me.”

Hosted by Jeanette Kwakye and Josh Denzel and conceived by former athlete Connie Henry, the event was supported by a host of familiar faces from the world of sport including Sir Mo Farah, Frank Lampard, Ellie Simmonds, Lawrence Dallaglio and Dame Kelly Holmes.

The Sport Gives Back Awards airs on ITV1 on Sunday at 10.15pm.