Widget to add multiple blog catagories to homepage

All, I feel like I’m asking a question that should be so obvious, but I can’t find the widget to do it… I didn’t want to post as it should be so simple, but I’m new to wordpress and I couldn’t find what I’m looking for…

So..

I have a theme that allows multiple columns to my homepage, and I now need to add multiple sections in those columns for different blog categories, same/similar to a news/magazine theme to my homepage, as new posts are written and assigned to a catagories they go into the relevant blog sections…

Why don’t I use a theme I here you say??? I would but I can’t find a good one that will work with Buddypress, I need a news site mixed with social networking…. so if you have a good theme instead, that would help.

Think – http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/

Thanks