The North Queensland Sports Foundation (NQSF) has been selected as a finalist in the prestigious Australian Sport, Recreation, and Play Innovation Awards that celebrate organisations and initiatives that have made significant contributions to the advancement of sport, recreation, and play across the nation.
NQSF Senior Program Coordinator Megan Taylor said, “this recognition highlights NQSF’s commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of sports and recreation in North Queensland. As a finalist this underscores the exceptional work in driving positive change and fostering inclusive sporting opportunities for the community.”
Martin Sheppard, Founder of the National Sports and Physical Activity Convention said, “With the largest ever number of submissions this year, the standards have been exceptionally high, and short-listing was very hard. Congratulations to North Queensland Sports Foundation in their submission that showcased what can be achieved with a good strategy that connects the dots in the community and uses sport and recreation as a vehicle to enhance community health and wellbeing goals.”
NQSF Chair and Cairns Regional Councillor Rhonda Coghlan said “This nomination acknowledges the tireless dedication from the NQSF team and the board to continue to implement various initiatives towards inclusion. We firmly believe sports and recreation should be enjoyed by everyone, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, or physical limitations. NQSF through the Move It NQ program has distributed $1.7m in local, state, and federal government funding to facilitate free physical activity programs for the community. Our unique model allows us to support healthy, active communities in regional, rural, and remote Queensland. With approximately 60,000 participations it goes without saying that we are extremely proud of our achievements.”
This September the NQSF will also release a new innovative Move It NQ health and wellbeing app proudly supported by the Queensland Government and Health and Wellbeing Queensland through ActiveKIT Round 2. This free app will further enhance opportunities for North Queenslanders to access wellbeing opportunities and participate in flexible, inclusive, and healthy activities.
NQSF has consistently demonstrated its dedication to creating a diverse and inclusive environment through its various programs. Last year, Move It NQ, received both state and national accolades as it was recognized by AUSactive for being the most Inclusive and Diverse community program.
The NQSF will join short-listed contenders at the awards presentation at the National Sports and Physical Activity Convention in Melbourne on Thursday 27th July.
