109 talented athletes from Manchester to benefit from £74,000 worth of support

Charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-op GLL have announced 109 athletes from Manchester will benefit from the 2025 intake of its GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) – the largest independent athlete award programme in the UK. 
  
Now in its 17th year the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) has so far contributed over £17m worth of athlete funding and support and distributed over 30,000 awards to young and talented athletes in 70 areas of the UK where GLL operate and across 117 different sports.  
  
At a GSF Awards Event held at the National Speedway Stadium on Wednesday 21st May, athletes and partners gathered to hear how this year's athlete award fund of £74,000 will help support talented athletes on their sporting journey.  
  
The GSF supports athletes through financial bursaries, access to physical rehabilitation and mental wellbeing support and all athletes are also given access to over 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its "BETTER" brand. These include the National Cycling Centre and Manchester Aquatics Centre in Manchester. 
  
Over 17 years, the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) has continued to be at the forefront of developing local young athletic talent with the majority of athletes under the age of 21 and on average 88% of athletes receive no other funding or athlete support, which underlines the importance of the scheme to up and coming athletes.  
  
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 them, a GSF Award can be the lifeline to staying in training and meeting their potential. 
  
Local GSF athletes in Manchester include Amy Trusedale MBE (Para Taekwondo), Grave Harvey (Para Swimming) Bailey Everett-Jones (Wrestling) Ed Mildred (Swimming) Sophie Jackson (Water Polo), Erin Wallace (Athletics) and Alex Russell (Lacrosse). 
 
Current GSF National Ambassadors include Joe Clarke, Kimberley Woods, Tulley Kearny, Louise Fiddes, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson and amongst GSF Alumni are Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Daryl Neita and Anthony Joshua. 
 
Ian Harkins, Head of Service for GLL in Manchester said:  

“Our GLL Sport Foundation is a key part of our remit to widen and deepen our social impact by offering unique opportunities to talented young athletes and build a legacy through sport.”

“We wish Manchester’s GSF award holders the very best of luck with their training and in competition this year.”