A COMPETITION to celebrate sports volunteering in Kent is being launched on Tuesday, August 23.

The Sports Volunteer and the Kent Sport Volunteers Project, backed by the Kent Messenger Group, hopes the competition will promote the good work achieved in sports clubs across the county.

It is looking for photographs that show a volunteer in action, assisting a sports club with any task, be it administration, coaching catering, helping out at an event, or DIY.

KSV project co-ordinator Simon Harris said: “We wanted to mark the month of the sports volunteer, and nobody has ever done a photography competition like this before. It’s a way to show what volunteers do and to unite people from all sports.”

Entrants, who must be associated or involved with a sports club, will also be asked to describe, in no more than 30 words, the scenario they have captured.

The launch event on August 23 will be staged at Kent County Cricket Club's headquarters at Canterbury. Among those due to attend are bowler Martin Saggers, KCCC chief executive Paul Millman and Faversham and Mid Kent MP and Shadow sports minister Hugh Robertson.

The competition is free to enter and there is £1,000 prize fund to be shared between three winners' clubs. The judging panel will be looking for photos that show the diversity of volunteering in sport and clearly convey a scene.

The winners will be announced at the Kent Volunteer Awards in November.

To request an application form, contact project co-ordinator Simon Harris on 01622 605058 or email simon.harris@kent.gov.uk. The closing date for the competition is October 23.

FACTFILE

* The Kent Sports Volunteers Project was launched in March 2004 following a two year pilot study, funded through the Sport England Active Communities Fund and supported by several other agencies. Its purpose is to find and develop new volunteers for sport in Kent, with particular emphasis upon disadvantaged areas of the county in East and North West Kent, minority ethnic groups and disabled people.

* It has attracted hundreds of volunteers since its launch, of all ages and backgrounds, and has matched them to hundreds of opportunities to fulfil roles ranging from administration to coaching and photography.

* KSV has indirectly helped some volunteers gain full-time employment and one volunteers was awarded for her work with a disability group at the Kent Volunteer Awards in November.

* Big names to have backed the scheme include England and Kent cricketer Geraint Jones and Tory leader Michael Howard.

* For more information on the project, visit the website or contact Simon Harris.