Entries for the Inaugural MBNA Northern Sports Awards Close on Tuesday 3 May

MANCHESTER, England, April 26, 2011 - The inaugural MBNA Northern Sports Awards will be held on the evening of
4 July at Lancashire County Cricket Club and the closing date for entries is
almost upon us - Tuesday 3 May.

Entries are invited from sporting clubs, teams and players from all
sporting disciplines across the North of England and from providers of 'off
the pitch' business, professional and marketing services and there are also
two categories for journalists/media organisations. Details of the categories
and information on how to enter can be found by clicking this link:
(www.northernsportsawards.co.uk/)

Please note that there is no charge for entries and entries can be made
in multiple categories where relevant.

The categories are being judged by an outstanding and independent judging
panel comprising:

- Legendary sporting agent & MD of ISM, Chubby Chandler

- Richard Bailey, Partner, Rothschild

- Jim Cumbes, Chief Executive, Lancashire County Cricket Club

- Matt Reeder, Sports Editor, Yorkshire Post

- Head of BBC Sport, Barbara Slater

- Kevin Dinsdale, Head of Sport, ncjMedia

- Sport England, Pam Jervis

- British Cycling Performance Director, Dave Brailsford

- Head of CSR Kellogg's Europe, Bruce Learner

- Marketing director Warburton's, Richard Hayes

- Premiership referee, Mark Halsey

Sporting legend Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff said: "Sport plays an important
role in many people's lives and an event such as this is long overdue for the
region.

"The North produces many excellent sportsmen and women, from grassroots
through to elite performers at the top of their game.

"The MBNA Northern Sports Awards will provide a platform for these people
to be recognised for the role they play contributing to the sporting world,
and helping to get the North placed prominently on the UK sporting map."

These Awards are produced by How-Do, the publishing company which manages
the highly successful North West Football Awards (
www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-publishing/sporting-heroes-turn-out-for-the-mbna-north-west-football-awards-201010149328/)
and the Marketing Society Northern Awards.

(Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste
this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field. Remove the
space if one exists.)

For further information, please contact Rachel McCormick on
+44(0)161-834-9487 or email her at Rachel@how-do.co.uk

.