Dan Leeson has been nominated for the Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer of the Year Awards for his work as a rugby volunteer and his dedication to the game.

The awards are part of the Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer Recognition Programme which provides grassroots rugby clubs and the rugby community with opportunities to recognise and reward the volunteers who make up such an integral part of the game.

Dan has been involved with local rugby for almost 35 years. Dan grew up in and around Tamar Saracens as his Dad was a player and a coach at the club for many years. Having played for the club for many seasons himself and after gaining his Level 2 coaches qualification, he joined the club as a coach in 2010 when the club was relegated from Devon 1 having lost every game the previous season.
Along with the committee of the time and large influx of talented players, he helped steer the club forward over the coming years. Dan would be seen to do everything from cleaning the changing rooms and forking the pitch, to organising kit & equipment. He would even put his boots on from time to time.
After some time away due to personal reasons, Dan returned to the club and is now the vice chairman. And along with a very strong committee he puts his efforts into pushing the club forward. He is very passionate about the future of the rugby club and hopes one day to be part of a group that can push Tamar Saracens to new heights.
Along with his commitment to Tamar Saracens, Dan was a manager of The Plymouth Combination; an invitational side made up of players from all clubs associated with Plymouth rugby. He worked with another local coach to help steer the combination into a position where it became a privilege to represent them, rather than the social side it has become over the years.
Very importantly, Dan is the driving force behind a fundraising event inspired by the death of a close friend and teammate, Paul Lethbridge. Along with Paul’s brother Pete, Dan is now preparing to organise the event for the 6th year. Having raised thousands of pounds for local rugby clubs as well as Cancer Research UK through the event, it just gets bigger and bigger each year.

Dan has always been a positive, approachable and respected gentleman in the rugby community and promoted his club at every opportunity.
As a committee member, he is enthusiastic, energetic and resourceful, especially with limited resources. Behind the scenes, Dan is always putting together a plan that benefits the club and bringing people together. He is always the first to volunteer and always the first to gather the troops! He is always positive and full of life, regardless of any external happenings in his own life. He is always a voice of reason, proactive and reminds people constantly of the good times rather than the bad.
Some people in life will give one or two major contributions to a cause, this is not the case with Dan. He is the true example of someone who puts himself before others and would sacrifice his own happiness in order to see others in a better place. If we had 10 more dedicated people like Dan we would probably be competing at least three leagues above what we are.
Dan is every part an ambassador for grassroots rugby across all ages and it would be incredible to see him rewarded for all his efforts within the club

“He is a totally genuine guy that goes above and beyond for our beloved club!” – Duncan Campbell (Ex Player and Current Supporter)

“Joining a rugby club is quite a daunting experience and even as a 30-year-old, the task at hand was never going to be easy. I moved to Tamar Saracens RFC from another local rugby club due to the influence of Daniel Leeson. Now when I say influence, I mean in the way that he presented himself and the club.
Dan always made you want to part of a bigger picture or a future plan and never shied away from telling a few home truths.
Over the past 3 years with the club, I have seen the same scenario over and over again. A man who bleeds positivity shares a wealth of knowledge and is always a figure you can rely on.” – Marc Cioffi (Current Player)

Dan Leeson is one of a select group of rugby volunteers in the area who is invited to attend an awards event held at Rogers of Brixton Mitsubishi Dealership. At this event, one volunteer will be announced as a Volunteer of the Year finalist – earning them a place at the Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer of the Year Awards night at Twickenham Stadium on Friday 7 September 2018. Three overall winners will be announced on the evening and each one will receive a Mitsubishi car for a year as a thank you for their continued support of the game.

As well as the Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer of the Year Awards, the programme offers a number of opportunities to say thank you to the thousands of volunteers who give back to grassroots rugby, week in, week out. Find out more about how you can show your appreciation for a volunteer in your rugby community by visiting www.englandrugby.com/mitsubishivolunteers.

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