BE Awards 2023: Harry Ellington Volunteer of the Year

Caroline Bullock is the winner of the 2023 Harry Ellington Volunteer of the Year award.

Supporting women's basketball across the North West, Bullock's selfless approach has allowed so many across Manchester and beyond to receive a spotlight that may otherwise have eluded them.

Providing excellent streaming, commentary and coverage as part of FocusHoops, 'Caz' as she is often known, provides a level of exposure for the sport that should be recognised for its quality as well as the fact it is done voluntarily.

Unmatched commitment

A regular face to anyone that watches NBL, WNBL and Jnr. NBL events, Bullock has also been a mainstay on BE's coverage of the National Cup, Senior Playoff Finals, Jnr. NBL Final Fours and more.

Outside of those events, where she works for BE, she readily provides her time to the like of Manchester Mystics, Manchester Giants and other teams around the North West.

She also tries to ensure that despite games taking place across often packed out weekend schedules, she does all she can to provide coverage for all teams, even if it means multiple broadcasts in a day.

"Caz has been immense in her support for women’s basketball in Manchester," said Manchester Mystics head coach Rob Fairley.

"Mystics and Giants fans can enjoy great live streaming and commentary, but what people don’t know is Caz does all this voluntarily, never asking anything in return.

"She will often run from the National Performance Centre, finishing a WBBL game, straight into a WNBL Division One game, seamlessly, without  fuss, all off her own back.

"Her commitment to women’s basketball in the area is unmatched, coupled with her ultimate humility. I’m sure most involved in women’s basketball would agree she deserves recognition for her volunteering efforts." 

Basketball England's PR & Communications Manager Ian Cawthorne added: "Caz is always a pleasure to work with, and with her co-commentator Adam Masters, she provides a high-level, in-depth level of coverage to BE events.

"That said, her work away from the BE spotlight should also be recognised. There is a reason she is so well liked and highly respected across the women's game, and that is due to her commitment, dedication and selflessness."

Congratulations go to Bullock for her award, and recognition should also go to Emma Jane Gardner (West Midlands) and Frankie O'Reilly (East Midlands) as both made the national shortlist for this award.

Bullocks' award continues the second week of a two-week period where national recipients of the 2023 Basketball England Awards are being announced.

Winners from across BE's ten regions were announced in March, with those recipients then shortlisted to narrow down the field for each national winner.

Bullock and others will be recognised for their achievements over the coming days, leading up to another cohort of selections receiving the prestigious Services to Basketball award on Sunday, 9 June 2024.

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