news release 22 August 2008

There will be a photocall at Rosliston Forestry Centre at 2 pm on Wednesday 27 August, 2008 with Debbie Chesterman biting her nails and Stuart Batchelor crossing his fingers hoping that Get Active in The Forest has won the National Prize which will be announced live on BBC1 on Saturday 30 August, 2008

It’s a nail-biting time for Debbie Chesterman of Get Active in The Forest and Stuart Batchelor, South Derbyshire’s Head of Leisure and Community Development who is keeping his fingers crossed as they wait to see if they will be collecting a national prize live on BBC1 at 8.05pm on Saturday 30 August.

Now in their fifth successful year, the National Lottery Awards recognise the difference that Lottery-funded projects make to local communities and celebrate the achievements of the people behind them. Debbie Chesterman and Stuart Batchelor will be in the audience hoping to step on the stage to be presented with the top prize of best National Lottery funded sports project in the UK for the scheme which is based at Rosliston Forestry Centre.

Says Stuart Batchelor, “We are hoping that the voters have been able to see the wood from the trees and that the majority of people have voted for Get Active in The Forest.”

Debbie Chesterman continues, “Even though the internet and phone voting has finished, the result is top secret. We won’t find out if we have won until it is announced live on Saturday. All we can do now is keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. Even if we don’t win, the television programme is a showcase for our fun way of getting fit. We have already appeared on BBC Midlands Today and now films about the walking, tai-chi, archery and cycling we offer will be seen nationally. I hope that what we have created in South Derbyshire will be adopted by other local authorities.”

The show will feature short films on each of the 21 finalists who are hoping to win a National Lottery Award. The glittering gala evening will also feature a one-off celebrity quiz, as well as special live performances from McFly and Gabriella Cilmi.