Funding boost can help fulfil sporting dreams
TALENTED YOUNGSTERS HOPING TO CASH IN WITH COUNTY GRANT
THE prospective Olympians and Paralympians of tomorrow could get a helping hand with funding to support them in their chosen sport.
Becoming a top athlete requires immense talent, dedication, coaching and family support. But there’s another important element that sometimes gets overlooked – and that’s money.
Having access to the best coaching and equipment does not come cheap. And travelling around this country and abroad to compete or train can be a huge drain on finances, with sponsorship and home budgets only stretching so far.
The latest round of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Talented Athletes Fund is open until October 15 offering grants of up to £400 for Nottinghamshire athletes who have represented their country in the last year.
The Talented Athletes Fund is part of the County Council’s Local Improvement Scheme which offers financial help and support to local communities.
Grants are available to pay for travel, training, accommodation, competition and coaching fees and kit costs. The county council awarded 65 grants worth more than £23,000 in grants last year.
Some of last year’s successful recipients have spoken of their delight at receiving funding.
Bassetlaw skater Robynne Tweedale, who represents GB, said: “When I was 11 or 12, my mum took me to an ice rink to public skate and couldn’t get me off of the ice since.
“The amount of creativity and passion we intertwine with the physical demands of ice dance brings me so much joy in every day of training.
“Being out on the ice and being allowed to express yourself, act and tell an audience a story while maintaining the physical and technical side of the sport is something that makes figure skating in general so unique.
“The process we go through to create the performances people see is something I really can’t compare to anything else.”
Bassetlaw athlete Lee Thompson, the European U23 4x400m champion, said: “I think the thing I am most passionate about within the sport is definitely winning. And another is reaching the Olympic Games, I think this is the same for most in their respective sports!
“In five years, I would ideally see myself as one of the top 400 metre runners in the UK, consistently! I would also like to picture myself as an Olympian and have a few medals to my name in either Europeans, Worlds or Olympics.”
Broxtowe climber Martha Lubczynskyj, who has represented GB, Broxtowe’s Connor, Erin, and Anna Green, English table tennis stars, Gedling’s Joshua Plumridge, a GB U18 handball player, and Mansfield British Championship speed skater Sam Lloyd were also among those who received funding.
Councillor John Handley, vicechairman of the communities and place committee, at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “The Talented Athletes Fund is a great opportunity for young athletes to secure funding to enable them to continue their training to whatever level they are able to reach.
“In Nottinghamshire, we are proud of our sporting heritage and want to encourage as many young people as possible to become as talented in their sport as they possibly can.”
Previous local sports stars to have received the funding, include gymnasts Sam Oldham, Becky Downie and Ellie Downie; swimmers Ollie Hynd and Charlotte Henshaw; athlete Richard Whitehead; show jumper Sophie Wells and rising tennis star Freya Christie.
■ Applicants must live in Nottinghamshire – read the ‘Talented Athletes Fund Application Guidelines’ for full details of the criteria for funding, which is available to download from the County Council’s website: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/ talented
The closing date for applications is Monday, October 15, at 5pm.