Terry Dennis 'proud' to receive BBC South Unsung Hero award

A wheelchair basketball coach who set up a team to help other disabled adults has won the BBC South Unsung Hero award.

Terry Dennis was recognised for creating opportunities for disabled people to participate in sport in Dorset.

Since the 1990s he has volunteered in wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, and para-cycling.

He told the BBC he was "immensely proud" to receive the honour.

The BBC Unsung Hero honour celebrates the best volunteers in sport, whose work is making a real difference in communities across the UK every day.

On receiving the award Mr Dennis said: "I'm still a bit shocked to be honest. I wasn't expecting that at all."

"I don't want to say a cliche like over the moon or anything like that, but that would be the ideal thing to say."

Terry Dennis created new wheelchair basketball team Dorset Demons

After the Covid pandemic Mr Dennis, who became disabled as a teenager, created new wheelchair basketball team Dorset Demons.

The aim was to give physically disabled adults who had been shielding at home the chance to start socialising again.

"I applied for some funding for some taster sessions just to see if there's a need for wheelchair basketball in the county and it's been very successful," he explained.

"It's turned into something special."

As chairman and head coach he has helped raise more than £20,000 in funding to ensure team members have safe and good sports chairs to compete in.

Mr Dennis previously set up the Wessex Accessible Cycling Club.

The overall winner of the 2023 BBC Sports Personality Unsung Hero of the Year will be announced on a show on 19 December on BBC One live from Salford from 19:00 GMT.

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