GLL marks 10 years in Belfast with largest ever sports foundation intake
On Tuesday 20th May 2025, Belfast City Hall played host to a landmark celebration as the GLL Sport Foundation Awards Night honoured 158 local athletes and marked 10 years of GLL's presence in the city. The evening not only reflected on a decade of transformation in Belfast's leisure sector but also celebrated the city's largest ever intake of supported athletes - the biggest of any of the 78 regions supported across the UK.
This year, over £115,000 has been invested in Belfast athletes through the GLL Sport Foundation, the UK's largest independent athlete support programme. Since its launch in the city in 2015, the Foundation has supported over 1,200 Belfast-based athletes, amounting to more than £700,000 in total funding.
Among this year's recipients, 57% are under the age of 21 and 23% are under 16, highlighting the Foundation's strong commitment to youth sport development. Support spans across 38 different sports from Olympic and Paralympic disciplines to Commonwealth Games events.
While the programme remains inclusive of all sporting fields, the foundation is proud to have supported notable local sporting success stories such as international hockey player Shirley McCay, Ireland’s most capped sportswoman in any sporting code, multiple Paralympics gold medallist Dr Michael McKillop, and Olympian boxer sibling duo Michaela and Aidan Walsh.
The awards night featured an impressive line-up of speakers including Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Micky Murray, Belfast City Council Chief Executive John Walsh, David Tumilty of the Public Health Agency, and GLL representatives Gareth Kirk, Jacqui Pope, and Tony Wallace.
A highlight of the evening was a compelling panel discussion led by broadcaster Pete Snoddden, featuring ambassador athletes Shirley McCay, Michael McKillop, and Aidan Walsh. Each shared personal insights into their sports journeys and the evolving role sport plays in their lives.
In a special moment, Lady Mary Peters was honoured for her continued partnership with the GLL and the GLL Sport Foundation through the Mary Peters Trust, a relationship that has played a vital role in the development of local sporting talent.
The evening was a powerful testament to Belfast's dynamic sporting community and the vital role that strategic support, investment, and inspiration play in shaping future champions.