Two junior members from Tapton Park Golf Club in Chesterfield have received National Volunteer awards for their contribution to golf.

Club Juniors Danielle Kay and Robyn Furze both won Volunteer of the Year for their respective age groups at the 2009 England Golf Partnership Volunteer Awards, held at the National Golf Centre, Woodhall Spa.

Both girls play at Tapton Park Golf Club, operated by Sheffield International Venues (SIV), and have contributed a significant amount of time and effort to junior golf at the club and in the local community.

Danielle Kay, the Club's Girls Captain for 2008, was presented with the award for Volunteer of the Year at U16 level. Danielle, aged 14, who lives in Chesterfield, leads a programme at the club that has engaged 12 juniors and seen over 200 hours put back in to the sport.

Throughout 2008 Danielle has helped to organise festivals, supported younger female members, helped out on Saturday morning coaching sessions run at the club and even helped with coaching and organising her school's girl's golf team.

Robyn Furze, aged 19, who lives in Chesterfield, won the 18-25 Volunteer of the Year award. This was primarily for her work in schools and supporting school festivals in the Bolsover and District School Sport Partnership.

Andy Carnall, SIV's golf manager, said: "What the girls have achieved is amazing and this recognition shows their dedication to the sport and bringing golf to other juniors in the area.

"The Volunteer awards are a tribute to the unsung heroes of the game and it's great to see local volunteers who have contributed so much within golf being honoured for all their hard work."

Run by the English Golf Partnership, the awards recognise, celebrate and reward the efforts and achievements of Golf Volunteers.

These junior golfers were chosen as representative of the body of volunteers who contribute their time and effort, throughout the sport of golf in this country, this includes golf clubs, schools, county golf partnerships, training schemes and many other programmes.

John Barker, Chair of the Junior Section at Tapton, said: "We operate a strong leadership programme which gives all of our juniors the opportunity to volunteer leadership hours, putting something back into the community that has served them so well. Danielle and Robyn have seen the rewards that can stem from this.

"In the past five years at Tapton Park, the junior section has grown to more than 100 members, including 20 girls. As a result we need an increasing number of volunteers to ensure things continue to run smoothly. It is great to see these volunteers coming not just from parents and adult members but from the juniors themselves."

Tapton Park's booming events programme is aimed at families and junior golfers. It began in 2004 with a golf programme in local schools and now the course regularly hosts primary school festivals and Saturday morning coaching sessions throughout the summer for hundreds of local children. This is supported by a strong volunteer network and a successful gifted and talented programme run by the club.

Danielle Kay (centre) with  Jennie Price (R), Sport England Chief Executive and Bill Bryce(L), Chairman of the England Golf Partnership

Robyn Furze (centre) with Jennie Price (R), Sport England Chief Executive and Bill Bryce(L), Chairman of the England Golf Partnership

The new season starts on April 4, and everyone is welcome. For more information on how to get involved in golf at Tapton Park visit www.taptonparkgolfcourse.co.uk
or call 01246 239500