AN innovative walking hockey club in Bromsgrove has been commended as ‘community project of the year’ at the annual Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sports Awards.

Bromsgrove Walking Hockey scooped the prestigious accolade at a glittering event at Sixways Stadium in Worcester on Thursday, November 23.

Alan Gormley, who launched the sport at Bromsgrove Hockey Club in January, said: “We are delighted for the people that play.

“The very fact is that through them starting we have now got about 20 clubs across England playing, several in Wales, and it has also started as associations in New Zealand and Australia.

“We did not start until January this year so it is just incredible how it has taken off and how it has captured people’s imaginations by filling a gap in the market. I still find it difficult to comprehend.

“We are thinking of starting a day time session as well as the evening so that is the next thing for us.”

The awards are organised by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Sports Partnership and have been running for 16 years.