Windsor & Eton Express

Sir Mo supports WSEH's plan to revive its finances through Crowdfunde­r

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Sir Mo Farah has spoken up in support of the Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow (WSEH) Athletics Club after they turned to Crowdfunde­r in an attempt to revive their finances and future.

The Eton-based sports club is struggling to fund its activities following the pandemic and are part of a shocking statistic that has seen 97 per cent of clubs across the country lose income because of recent COVID lockdowns and restrictio­ns. Many face an uncertain future and possible closure.

WSEH AC is where the fourtime Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah started his journey in athletics and current club members include Olympians Jessie Knight, Morgan Lake, Taylor Campbell and Paralympic javelin gold medallist Daniel Pembroke.

The club is looking to raise £20,000 for essential work on its facilities and they can also access match-funding of up to £10,000 from Sport England, money that’s been earmarked to help grassroots sports clubs bounce back from the pandemic. The fund is seen as a vital lifeline as COVID restrictio­ns decimated club’s ticket sales, fees and venue rentals over a considerab­le period.

Sir Mo encouraged people to support the club if they can: “I am known for the success that I have achieved on the track, but my journey to the top was a long one and one that had lots of steps along the way. One of those steps was with Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow Athletics Club, and I am lucky that I was able to continue my progress with them. The club is now in need of funding to help maintain and improve their facilities which will allow them to continue to provide for the next generation of athletes.”

Irene Speller, a fundraiser at WSEH, added: “The club is over a century old. It is renowned for its success at all levels of the athletic spectrum

“However, our club is not just for elite athletes – far from it. At our base at the Thames Valley Athletic Centre, we provide fun athletics to 7- to 10year-olds, athletic developmen­t to those aged 10 upwards and we strive to make athletics accessible to everyone in our area through school and community projects.”

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