The newest member of the Steelbacks in the Community team, Gary Herbert, has received the fundraiser of the year award for the west of ITV Anglia region.
Gary was so upset by the number of homeless people he saw while out jogging that he felt like he had to do something to help those in need in his local community.
He took on the enormous task of running 2,021 miles in 2021 to raise funds for The Northampton Hope Centre, a charity that helps the homeless and others in need.
Alongside his wife Lexi, Gary is a devoted parent to 19-year-old Lewis who is severely disabled, and he has been taking part in fundraising activities to help his son and others for several years.
He had originally hoped to raise £2,000 for the Hope Centre, but smashed this goal by raising nearly £19,000. The money will be used to help people who are struggling.
Having been nominated for the award back in September, he was overwhelmed and shocked to then receive the award last week. You can watch the winning moment below:
Gary has been a huge part of the setup at Northamptonshire County Cricket Club as he was the coach for the county U10s side last season, and will continue this as coach of the U11 side next season.
Gary has also taken on a role in the Steelbacks in the Community team as Community Coach. This means he will lead and support the delivery of a range of high-quality cricket and community projects, as well as programmes and events that engage and inspire individuals to sustain and grow cricket participation opportunities for all across Northamptonshire.
A massive congratulations to Gary for his achievement, make sure to keep an eye on the national awards to see if he can claim that title as well.