THE PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS ASSOCIATION PRESS RELEASE JULY 2012

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME FOR AWARD WINNING PGA PRO

A Midland-based PGA professional who realised his ambitions of bringing golf to disabled people has won a national award for his efforts. Craig Thomas has won the Toby Sunderland Award, which recognises outstanding charitable work by a PGA member, and received the accolade on the eve of the Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes. The 31-year-old launched disability golf in Staffordshire, sits on five volunteer disabled sport forums across the county and regularly coaches youngsters and adults with a range of disabilities at his own facility, The Golf Academy in Wolverhampton. In addition he has coached soldiers injured in Afghanistan and Iraq while playing a prominent role in Cheshire as its regional development officer.

On picking up his award, Thomas revealed that it was childhood experiences that had stirred his ambition to work with disabled people. As a kid I spent a lot of time with my grandmother who worked at an adult day centre in Wolverhampton so I was brought up around disability, he said. It always struck me that they didnt have a lot of opportunities and I always said to myself if I ever had the opportunity to help them out I would. Ive never been in a position to help out by handing over money but instead have been able to utilise my skills as a coach taught by the PGA which has been my way of offering something back.

Thomas is also playing an important role in developing the recently launched ISPS Handa PGA Academy programme which is training PGA professionals to specialise in the coaching of disabled golfers. And through initiatives such as this, and through the PGA-backed England Golf Partnership, Thomas believes the game is more accessible to disabled golfers with PGA pros playing a key role. There are far more opportunities and I regularly get other PGA pros ringing me up and asking how they can get involved so I think we are seeing more coaches wanting to do it which is fantastic, he added.

Thomas has won other awards but admits receiving the Toby Sunderland Award from the PGA rates as one of his career highlights. To receive something from my own governing body is special and also to be recognised in the region he added. I dont play a lot in the Midland circuit but clearly the message of what I am doing is getting out there which is something I hadnt imagined.

Thomas receives a cheque for 1200 pound to give to a charity of his choice and he is splitting the money between the Golf Foundation and Chase Day Service in Cannock. I have chosen the Golf Foundation because without their funding in the first place I would not have been able to do what Ive done with disabled golf. Ive also chosen Chase Day Service because I have done some disabled golf projects with them but their funding is always being cut so they need as much financial support as possible.

Warren Sunderland commented: We chose Craig because he has demonstrated personal commitment by using his skills to help disabled people, including injured soldiers, of all ages enhance their lives through golf, and by spending his valuable time in the service of others.

PGA chief executive Sandy Jones said: The presentation of this award shows clear evidence as to why our members are at the heart of golf. People may view professionals who work at club level as only providing a golf service to club members but the facts are that the vast majority do much more than this and Craigs recognition by receiving the Toby Sunderland Award is well earned and greatly deserved.

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