The West Midlands has a vibrant sporting community, with many different organisations supporting the huge array of talented individuals within it. 

The Birmingham Sports and Physical Activity Partnership works with a range of partners from the business sector help them to engage with sport.

Some businesses wish to create their own sporting legacy by encouraging their staff to volunteer and participate in sport, or by helping others to succeed by sponsoring elite athletes, fundraising for sports charities or becoming corporate partners of grass-roots community sport programmes or school sport festivals.

Tom McIntosh, interim director at Birmingham Sports and Physical Activity Partnership said: "The Birmingham Sports Awards present a fantastic opportunity to recognise and pay tribute to success in sport and physical activity in the city. 

"Our role as one of 49 County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) in England is to increase participation in sport and physical activity at the grass-roots level by interpreting and shaping national, regional and local policy to meet future community needs. 

"Our organisation supports all those that develop, deliver and take part in sport and physical activity in Birmingham. For this reason, showing our support for this celebration event allows us to thank our partners for continuing to inspire a legacy from London 2012 in every community."

Sport is a valuable part of any region’s offering to its communities and businesses. Amy Bird, club development and senior manager at the organisation, said: "Sport brings benefits to communities and individuals such as improving health and wellbeing, community safety, increasing skills, employment and economic growth and in providing new opportunities for children and young people to participate in positive activities.

"Birmingham Sport and Physical Activity Partnership already works with a range of partners from the business sector help them to engage with sport.  Some businesses wish to create their own sporting legacy by encouraging their staff to volunteer and participate in sport, or by helping others to succeed by sponsoring elite athletes, fundraising for sports charities or becoming corporate partners of grass-roots community sport programmes or school sport festivals."

The organisation has sponsored the Club of the Year Award, highlighting the integral role that they play in their local communities by promoting the benefits of being physically active and in providing a development pathway for athletes to excel in their chosen sport.

Tom McIntosh said: "Elite level sports professionals representing our country have at one stage in their career been part of a sports club that helped to foster and nurture their talent to get them to where they are today. 

"Clubs are also the backbone to grassroots sports and deserve recognition for continually achieving success in often challenging circumstances, which is why Birmingham Sport and Physical Activity Partnership has chosen to sponsor Club of the Year 2013."

Most recently, Birmingham Sport and Physical Activity Partnership has invested in a new website to help people to identify how and where to get physically active, links to key initiatives in Birmingham such as those mentioned above, and development support for local sports clubs. 

To find out more, visit www.birminghamsportpartnership.org and follow them on Twitter @BSPAP

The Birmingham Sports Awards will take place at Edgbaston Stadium on September 19. Nominations are now open until August 2 and we invite our readers to tell us about the sporting stars that they feel should be recognised. 

Visit www.birminghamsportsawards.co.uk to nominate now.