A gym owner and former Mr UK bodybuilder from Castleford, West Yorkshire has been named as one of the country’s top achievers in the prestigious national teaching Lion Awards organised by City and Guilds.

He was named one of the UK’s most exceptional learners after completing his Level 2 NVQ in Instructing Exercise and Fitness within a year, while tackling many other challenges in his life.

In addition to working 60-hour weeks at the gym and managing a huge refurbishment, he was also studying for his qualification, fundraising for local charities as well as having to cope with his wife’s ill health, which meant countless hospital visits.

So while he had already held a raft of impressive bodybuilding titles, including Mr UK, Mr Yorkshire and Mr Huddersfield, it’s no wonder the judges thought he also deserved the accolade of Small Business Learner of the Year.

Jason said winning the Medal of Excellence was “prestige in itself” but the Lion Award was completely unexpected and the icing on the cake.

He picked up his award from the BBC’s Formula One presenter Jake Humphrey, at The Lancaster hotel in London where there were 600 people present but only 10 Lion Awards winners.”

He had already expanded the gym several times, adding a martial arts academy last year. He said: “I thought, I’m bringing the gym up to speed, it’s time I brought my qualifications up to speed.”

His business scooped the National Amateur Body Building Association’s (NABBA) Best Independent Gym last year as well as picking up the gong for NABBA’s Best Supported Gym twice, after judges secretly assessed his business.

Source: Yorkshire Evening Post