UNSUNG hero Tony Wheel is being rewarded for 23 years of voluntary work after coaching about 800 young rowers in Wallingford.

Mr Wheel has been nominated for a High Sheriff’s award for his coaching at Wallingford Rowing Club and the tribute will be presented at County Hall in Oxford on March 22.

The 66-year-old, who is also project manager for the Thames Street club’s £300,000 appeal to build a new gym, said he was delighted.

Mr Wheel was selected after the town council called for his work to be recognised.

The father-of-two said: “I’m delighted to get this recognition, both for myself and the club.

“I must have coached about 700 or 800 young rowers over the past 23 years and during that time 23 of them have made the Great Britain team, which is very satisfying.

“I have been a keen rower since I was 12 and I was captain of the rowing club when I was at Southampton University.

“We take young rowers from the age of eight to 18 and I am now coaching some of the juniors and the more experienced racing juniors.”

Leanne Reeves, 15, Alice Walker, 14, and Hannah Whelan, 15, are among the rowers who currently receive coaching from Mr Wheel.

In January, they were each awarded a grant of £250 as part of the South Oxfordshire District Council’s young achievers award scheme.

Miss Reeves and Miss Whelan won at the National Schools Regatta, and all three have enjoyed success in the 12 months. Leanne’s mother Cheryl, 42, from Cholsey, said: “We do appreciate the support Tony gives the youngsters.

“He has really helped Leanne with her rowing and the club is an important part of her life.”

Mayor of Wallingford Bernard Stone said: “The rowing club is a very important part of the town and Tony’s service for the club has been phenomenal. He’s an unsung hero who quietly goes about his work and puts in a tremendous amount of effort.

“The town council is particularly proud of what the rowing club achieves with the youngsters and we are delighted that our nomination for this award has been accepted.”

Mr Wheel, from Burcot, said he was confident that the £300,000 appeal would raise enough funds to build a new facility to replace the ageing shed in the Cattle Market car park, used as a weights room and gym, with a purpose-built gym.

In March last year, Oxford Brookes University launched a £1m fundraising campaign for a new rowing centre near Cholsey.

The university wants the centre to help prepare its athletes for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The centre, which has planning permission, will be based off the A329, about one mile from Cholsey.