62 year old transplant recipient among winners of GLL Sport Foundation grant

Twenty-eight athletes from across Bedford have been awarded a share of £18,900 in the latest awarding of GLL’s Sport Foundation grants, including 62-year old swimmer, Maggie Cotter who has returned to the water after receiving a kidney and liver transplant.

At a GSF Awards event held at Mowsbury Golf and Squash Complex on 4 June, athletes and partners gathered to hear how this year’s athlete award fund will help support talented athletes on their sporting journey.

The grant includes access to physical rehabilitation and mental wellbeing support, and all athletes are also given access to GLL-ran premises, which include Kempston Pool and Fitness and John Bunyan Sports Fitness leisure centres in Bedford.

One of the recipients is 62-year old, Maggie Cotter who is using her share of the grant to help fund participation in the World Transplant Games which take place in Oxford in July, just two and a half years after a kidney transplant.

“I was given the gift of life in 2018”, says Maggie.

“However, post liver transplant [in 2018], my kidneys deteriorated, until in 2022 I was listed for a kidney transplant.

“In February 2023, with my kidney function down to just 9 percent, and with preparations underway to go on dialysis, I was a fortunate recipient of a kidney donation.

GLL’s recent research shows that many talented athletes struggle to realise their dreams of sporting glory due to rising costs of equipment, training, physiotherapy, travel and nutrition.

For many, a GSF Award can be the lifeline to staying in training and meeting their sporting potential.

“It took a year for my physical health to recover, but I joined Kempston Pool and Fitness in 2024 with the aim of competing in the 2024 British Transplant Games.

“Initially managing 200 metres in 30 minutes, I was in the pool almost every weekday morning and built up from 200 metres to 2000 metres, until I competed in the British Transplant Games 2024 in Nottingham and took home the bronze medal in the 50m backstroke.”

Now semi-retired in her role as an Assistant Registrar at Cranfield University, Maggie has upped her training schedule and will compete not only in Oxford, but also at the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany the following month.

“Thanks to the GSF awards, I’ve upped my training.

“Still swimming at Kempston, I’ve joined the Flitwick Dolphins Swimming Club to help with my competition training. I’m also doing Aqua Fit sessions and now added strength training at John Bunyan Sports and Fitness”, says Maggie.

“What an incredible night!” added Bedford’s Mayor, Tom Wootton (Conservative).

“The energy, the talent, the passion on display is truly inspiring. The GLL Sports Foundation grants are a springboard for our athletes, and I can’t wait to see how far they’ll go. Bedford Borough is cheering you on every step of the way.”

Other Bedford-based recipients of the award include athlete, 17-year old Thaila-Jade Mason who continues to impress on the national stage, lawn green bowler, John Hollowell and para-athletes, Varun Bandi and Sean Chigumba, who are 19 and 18 years of age respectively.