GLL Sport Foundation Awards Mole Valley 2025
28 talented athletes from Mole Valley to benefit from over £18,250.00 worth of support as the GLL Sport Foundation announces its 2025/26 athlete cohort.
Charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-op GLL have announced 28 athletes from Mole Valley 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 Dorking Halls on June 18th, athletes and partners gathered to hear how this year's athlete award fund of £18,250.00 will help support talented athletes on their sporting journey. Guests included Executive Head of Service Mole Valley District Council, Emma Day and Cllr Margaret Cooksey Dorking South.
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.
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.
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.
Partnership Manager for Mole Valley, James Brakenborough said “It was really inspiring to hear about the successes of our local talented athletes. We are pleased to help support them on their sporting journey, especially as 89% of them receive no other funding”.
Cllr Margaret Cooksey Dorking South said "Mole Valley Council are very pleased to be working with GLL who are running the leisure centers on their behalf. We are more than pleased to have been a part of this awards ceremony to celebrate our talented athletes and the help that GLL provides to help them to reach their full potential. It was an honor to meet the athletes and to hear about how they are progressing in their chosen sport."
Executive Head of Service Mole Valley District Council said "Today saw GLL celebrate Mole Valley's athletes who benefit from everything the sport foundation offers - as well as the crucial support from their families. 88% of beneficiaries recieve no other financial support plus there are many other benefits. We are keen to maximise participation so we will be supporting with spreading the word"
Supported athlete Rupert Bole (Table Tennis) said "I just wanted to say thanks very much for this afternoon. I enjoyed meeting and chatting to GLL staff with some of the other athletes. It was a very well handled and informative introduction to the GSF. A very pleasant way to spend Wednesday evening!"
For more information visit www.gllsportfoundation.org
The GLL Sport Foundation's Patron is Sally Gunnell, OBE and partners involved in the programme include; SportsAid, SportsAid Wales, Mary Peters Trust, sponsors from GLL's supply chain and local authority partners.