Inspirational Wirral siblings nominated for prestigious national rugby awards

Henry and Daisy Hibbert-Jones, from Bromborough, are in shortlisted at the Premiership Rugby Community Awards after tackling personal challenges to volunteer for Sale Sharks Community Trust.

Henry, 19, was nominated for PLAY Achiever of the Year after tackling autism and learning difficulties while 15 year-old-Daisy is up for volunteer of the year.

Sale Sharks Community Trust coach Jack Leech is also named as a finalist for coach of the year.

Henry suffers from autism, ADHD and severe learning difficulties but has faced those difficulties head on to become a key part of the team at the Trust, which is the charitable arm of Sale Sharks.

Inspired by her brother, Daisy decided to volunteer to work with the Trust in 2017 and has since committed over 100 hours to a range of programmes, including Walking Rugby, Girls Rugby, Disability Rugby and Play On.

Henry is nominated for the PLAY Achiever of the Year at the Premiership Rugby Parliamentary Community Awards, while Daisy makes the final shortlist for Volunteer of the Year.

Sharks Community Coach Jack Leech is also shortlisted in the Community Coach of the Year category at the awards, which will be handed out at a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on July 11.

Henry first got involved with the Trust in April 2017 when he joined the Mixed Ability team at Aldwinians Rugby Club in Audenshaw, Manchester.

Despite suffering from a lack of confidence and communication skills, Henry went on to participate in the autism-specific programme, Play On, later in 2017, before clocking up more than 80 hours of volunteering on a range of community programmes.

Mum Daniella says getting involved with rugby – and the Sharks Community Trust – has "changed Henry's life."

She added: "Henry has always had a strong interest in rugby due to his dad, brother and sister playing, but he never had the opportunity to play himself due to his disability," she said.

"Since getting involved with the Sharks Community Trust he has developed his social and emotional skills, and I now have a son who is confident and becoming more and more independent. Without rugby this would not have happened.

"Henry plays for the first team at his club now, he now has many new friends and Saturday has become his favourite day of the week!

"Daisy has been volunteering with the Trust since Henry became involved with Play On. She has always had an interest in sport, specifically rugby but she is very passionate about disability sport and coaching disabled individuals.

"It's great for her to learn from the fantastic team at Sharks Community Trust and she's had some fantastic experiences from being a volunteer.

"I cannot speak highly enough of all at Sale Sharks for what they have done for my family and I'm so proud that Henry and Daisy are up for these awards."

Trust Inclusion Officer Vicky Irwin added: "Henry has become a valuable and much loved member of the team. "He really is a credit to himself and to his family and he is known, respected and admired across the club.

"He also volunteered for the club on matchdays, laying out cones for the players in front of thousands of people.

"This might not sound like much but to Henry it’s a really big deal.

"It's an incredible achievement and it demonstrates the faith that the Trust and the club has in him, that they would trust him with such an important role on days when the club receives the most attention.

"Across the programmes that she volunteers on, participants see Daisy as an inspiration and a role model.

"She is so patient and empathetic and we’re confident she has a huge future working in disability sport."