Grants for our future champions

The Mitre 10 Mega Wanganui Future Champions Trust funding round closes on March 31. The trust provides financial support to talented young sports people who have the ability to compete at the highest level, but may need help. The Trust is encouraging athletes needing financial support to consider applying.

“The funding that I received from the Future Champions Trust was a massive help to my sporting goals last year,” says Jack Clifton, a young Whanganui Kayaker who received Future Champions Trust funding. “It took a lot of pressure off me and my parents and I was able to concentrate on my training. I feel so proud to be representing a community that is so supportive,”

The Trust has been operating for five years and has granted almost $50,000 to 52 individual athletes, assisting them in reaching and achieving at internationally acclaimed events.

“As a proud local Wanganui business owner we are committed to supporting our community and the Future Champions Trust is a great way to support our youth to become champions, role models and future leaders in our community,” Hayden Gibson, owner of Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui, the Trust’s naming sponsor, says.

The Trust encourages athletes to visit www.futurechampionstrust.org for an application form.

Funding rounds are held twice yearly, at the end of March and September. The last round gave a grant to Genna Maples, representing New Zealand in the Australian All Schools Athletics Championship in Cairns, Australia in December last year.