London Sport Awards 2021 Winner: The Business Contribution Award - Tideway

TIDEWAY, the company constructing the River Thames’ game-changing ‘super sewer’, have been recognised for their work above the water by winning the high-profile Business Contribution Award at the London Sport Awards.

Tideway scooped the gong, in association with the City of London Corporation, for their work alongside London Youth Rowing as part of their aim to enhance the river’s wider social benefit and reconnect Londoners with the Thames.

The Award recognises the valuable role of businesses like Tideway in providing sponsorship, support and resources that enable communities and sport to thrive in London.

London Youth Rowing aims to make rowing accessible to all and, in 2017, jointly-funded the Active Row programme, which encourages 11 to 18-year-olds in 70 schools across 12 priority boroughs to get involved in rowing.

Tideway toppled Decathlon UK to win the award and John Sage, Head of Corporate Responsibility at the company, said: “We're delighted to win The Business Contribution Award.

“We have worked closely with London Youth Rowing for about eight years now, and supported 12,000 young people. To have our support for them throughout the pandemic recognised is just fantastic.

“Business can do such a lot for communities and community sport - not just with the money we can provide, but the expertise we can give.

“If businesses pick the right partners and act in the right way, then issues that charities are crying out for support with can be assisted in multi-year partnerships.

“I hope that message got home tonight with our partnership with London Youth Rowing and it can show people what business can really do.

“It's been really gratifying to see the progression – it feels more like friendship than a partnership, and that is the best sign of a good relationship.”

Over the last five years, the annual London Sport Awards, in association with the City of London Corporation, has grown to become the biggest celebration of grassroots and community physical activity and sport in the city.

And this year’s showpiece event once again recognised, celebrated, and shone a light on the stories of the incredible individuals, groups, and organisations for their outstanding work across the capital, helping Londoners of all ages and backgrounds to be physically active.

The City of London Corporation, who sponsored The Business Contribution Award and also hosted the awards night at the Guildhall, were delighted to be celebrating all that sport represents.

And Keith Bottomley, Vice Chair of the Corporation’s Policy Committee, said: “This is the second year we’ve hosted the London Sport Awards.

“It’s a huge privilege, but it’s also a very important event and it’s a great fun event – the atmosphere and the celebration of sport and physical activity is superb.

“The nominees in The Business Contribution Award were all amazing – it was very difficult to find a winner.

“The business involvement in encouraging sport and funding sport and providing resources is hugely important, and I think we came up with a very good winner in Tideway.”

See the full list of London Sport Awards 2021 winners here.