GLL Sport Foundation confirms 93 athlete awards in Manchester
Charitable Social Enterprise GLL have announced 93 Manchester based athletes will benefit from the 2024 intake of its Sport Foundation – the largest independent athlete award programme in the UK.
A £1.295m national fund comprised of financial bursaries, training and access memberships, physiotherapy and more will support talented athletes with the cost of preparing for and participating in national and international competition – including the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Over 16 years, the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) has continued to be at the forefront of developing local young athletic talent with an impressive 28,146 awards totaling £15.386m having been made since 2008 across 117 different sports. Always striving to expand the range of support for athletes, last year’s development of the GSF programme offered - for the first time - athlete wellbeing support through a new partnership with Switch The Play Foundation (STPF). This initiative will help a diverse range of athletes receive a full balance of support in an often challenging environment.
The Manchester athletes aged between 7 and 43 years old have been successful in their application, with representation from a great range of sports including Taekwondo, Para Swimming, Golf, BMX, Athletics, Wrestling, Water Polo, Boxing, Cycling and Basketball. They will be recognised at a celebration event on Wednesday 15th May at the National Speedway Stadium where their sporting achievements will be acknowledged by GLL’s team in Manchester and an audience of invited guests.
Local Manchester sports heroes who will benefit from the awards this year include Amy Truesdale (Taekwondo), Grace Harvey (Para Swimming), Tulley Kearney (Para Swimming), Jai Higgins (Golf). Amy becomes a national ambassador, the first year this has been awarded locally. The accolade is given to athletes who have been a great role model and who have supported their city and GLL in community activity.
GSF Patron Sally Gunnell OBE said:
“Young athletes need the support of organisations like the GLL Sport Foundation to follow their dreams and achieve their ambitious goals in competitive sport. “GSF provides a lifeline to those struggling with the cost of living and can make a real difference - keeping them in training and helping realise their full potential.”
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.”
GLL’s 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. The majority of GSF athletes are under 21 and 87% receive no other form of funding. GLL promotes healthy and active lifestyles, giving communities access to facilities that help improve their health and happiness through participation in leisure and cultural activities. It operates over 240 leisure centres, 120 libraries and 15 children's centres in partnership with 58 local councils and institutions.