Appeal to help struggling fund support young sporting talent
An organisation set up over 20 years ago to fund aspiring young Sunderland athletes is appealing for help as it struggles to attract revenue.
The Sunderland Sports Fund has successfully helped ahostoftalentedyoungpeople to realise their dreams.
They include Olympic boxing medallist Tony Jeffries, champion trampolinist Kat Driscoll, long-distance runner Alyson Dixon, Paralympian gold medallist swimmer Matt Wylie and others who have done Sunderland proud.
But now the fund, originally set up to support promising young athletes in lower profile sports, is itself struggling financially and has launched an appeal in a bid to survive.
The fund has had three chairmen. The first was Dr Alan Lillington, the Sunderland paediatrician and track and field star who competed for GB in the 100m at the 1952 Olympic games. The second was former SAFC player and manager Len Ashurst, with former Mayor of Sunderland Les Scott now in the role.
The fund’s founding ambition was to support talented young local sports people in sportswhichdidnottraditionally attract major backing.
Les Scott said: “With substantial support from the Sir Tom Cowie Foundation, we built up a healthy kitty that has sustained us until now. We have supplied grants to the young sportspersons of Sunderland to cover equipment
and travel costs in the early parts of their career and have seen them blossom on the international
stage.
“But now the fund is beginningtolookexhausted.Wecurrently have five applications pending and we don't want them to be the last.
“Direct fundraising is becoming increasingly difficult with so many good causes out there which we have to compete with. So we’re looking for sponsors,benefactorsandphilanthropists with an interest in the young people of the city with sports talent.
“If you’re good at football or rugbyorcricket,you’relikelyto bepickedupandsupportedby existing clubs and bodies.
“But that often wasn’t true of swimming or martial arts, fencing or badminton, or any sport with a disability.
“Wealsoneedtorefreshthe trustee positions of the fund andwouldbedelightedtohear from anyone prepared to give up a little time.”
To help, email either leslie. scott1966@gmail.comorkeith. lowes@hotmail.co.uk, or call 0191 526 2545.