Legacy was at the heart of the UK’s bid for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and was thought to have won the vote.

At Nottingham, one man’s impact on sport at the University has an equally lasting legacy.

Vaughan Parry Williams, the former Director of Sport and Physical Recreation, dedicated almost 33 years to sport at the University before his death in 2009. He passionately believed students should achieve their sporting potential as well as thrive academically.

Under his leadership, the University established its sporting pedigree — consistently finishing in the top 10 of the British universities sport rankings and leading the way in making sport accessible for all. Vaughan’s ethos lives on via the University’s Any Body Club and Nu2 Sport.

A year ago, The Vaughan Parry Williams Pavilion was built at Highfields Playing Fields and a coaching fund was launched.

Director of Sport Dan Tilley said: “The coaching fund is essentially looking to deliver a legacy in Vaughan’s honour, delivering the ‘sport for all’ ethos he was passionate about and providing an environment in which athletes can achieve their potential. By providing funding for the provision of coaching, we can enhance the overall student sporting experience, improve their performance, raise aspirations, improve inclusivity and hopefully produce a new raft of talented coaches.”

The fund paid for eight elite coaches to coach the University’s rowing, table tennis, hockey, lacrosse, badminton, squash and tennis teams in the 2011/12 season. The University has again secured a top 10 place in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) rankings; five of our hockey teams, a lacrosse team and a table tennis team have won league titles, while runners-up spots have been achieved in badminton and squash and medals were won at the European Universities Rowing Championships.

Find out more about the Vaughan Parry Williams Coaching Fund at: http://tiny.cc/UoNVPW.

The Fund is part of Impact: The Nottingham Campaign. The campaign will raise £150m in philanthropic support across five strategic themes over the next five years. The themes encompass a series of high-impact projects, in the UK, Malaysia and China.These projects will have a positive and lasting influence on society and make an impact that will touch generations. Find out more at: http://tiny.cc/UoNImpact.

Olympic star Tim Brabants talks about University sport.