Volunteer Denise Larrad has been Named the BBC Get Inspired Unsung Hero Award Winner

Denise Larrad, from Hinckley & Bosworth, picked up BBC's Unsung Hero Award last night at the Sports Personality of the Year 2017 ceremony.

Denise has been volunteering for 5 years running and supports weekly Walking Groups, Running Groups, supporting Falls Group at St Francis's and co-coordinating and designing monthly orienteering events.

Prior to this Denise raised thousands of pounds for charities running half marathons and marathons and her fund raising was acknowledged by being selected to carry the Olympic torch in 2012 which she took to every school in the borough.

Denise shows her amazing commitment and drive to help people 'get active' in Leicestershire, juggling her voluntary work alongside working night shifts in a warehouse.

Denise was overwhelmingly delighted with emotion to have won the award with a large standing ovation to her name. Her words mesmerised the audience as she commented:

"Inactivity can be more detrimental to your health than smoking, and there's thousands of people like me who are doing a spectrum of sports that you can get involved in. Go and find out who those people are and go and join in".

Natalie Jackson, regional awards organiser and sports editor of BBC East Midlands Today, said: "Denise's story - and the fact she does this around the clock and whilst working night shifts - touched the judging panel to have won the award.

(Source: BBC, 2017)