GSF Awards 2026
Talented athletes from 70 areas across the UK are invited to apply for support from the largest athlete support programme of its kind in the UK. Awards include financial bursaries, free access to gyms, pools and other sports facilities, physiotherapy, lifestyle mentoring and mental health wellbeing support.
Celebrating its 18th Year, the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) Awards 2026 are now bigger and better than ever. A record-breaking £2m of bursaries and 'in kind' support for 2026 will enable talented young athletes to take part in the UK's largest scheme of its kind.
By April 2026, over 35,000 athlete awards and almost £20million worth of support will have been distributed to aspiring sportsmen and women since the scheme's first awards in 2008.
The innovative sports programme is provided by GLL, a charitable social enterprise and co-operative, which has for nearly two decades proved a popular and essential support programme for athletes battling the high costs of training, travel and equipment needed for their sporting journey.
All successful applicants will be given access to the 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its “Better” trading brand.
It has always been a core mission of the GSF programme to support young emerging talent on their sporting journey, with the majority of athletes aged under the age of 21 and the largest cohort under 18 years old. Across the programme, 88% of athletes who receive GSF Awards receive no other funding or athlete support, which underlines the importance of the scheme to its athletes - and to GLL’s social values.
With the success of UK's athletes inspiring national pride as well as widening and deepening the positive impact of sport in local communities, the GSF makes a firm claim to be the most successful independent athlete support programme of its kind in the UK.
The GSF has supported many successful athletes, including Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Anthony Joshua and Kimberley Woods. Past and present GSF athletes won 77 medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
With major events such as the Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games in 2026, the programme continues to inspire both elite performance and community engagement.
The GLL Sport Foundation’s Patron is Sally Gunnell, OBE, and partners involved in the programme include; Mary Peters Trust, SportsAid, SportsAid Wales, sponsors from GLL’s supply chain and Switch The Play Foundation.
Sally Gunnell commented: "Young athletes in the UK have never needed support as much as they do today.
"The GSF programme grows each year - with many recipients becoming household names. I'm looking forward to meeting the sports stars of tomorrow who are starting or continuing their sporting journeys with GSF in 2026.”
Commenting on the launch of the GSF Awards 2026 at Gateshead International Stadium, GLL Regional Director Tony Wallace said: “Our GSF Awards provide a lifeline to individual athletes as well as inspiring other young people in local communities.
"We encourage as many talented athletes as possible to look into the scheme and find out how they may benefit from our support.”
GSF Training Award holder Paris Paralympic and World Championship shot put bronze medallist Anna Nicholson, 30, said:
"I've been doing shot put since 2010 - starting in Carlisle - and GSF have supported me from the start of my sporting journey - with track access, training and through competition.
"I like the way my GSF access lets me use all the facilities - I can move from the gym to the pool when I'm training."
Also at the Gateshead International Stadium launch event was Susan Folorunso, 21, track athlete, who will apply for the GSF Awards again in December. She said:
"I'm privileged to be able to get free access to local training facilities for training and conditioning as part of my GSF Award.
"This free access reduces financial restraints which keeps me focused on training and working harder for a better athletic outcome next year.”
Liam Reveley, 27, Decathlete said:
"My GSF Award has made a massive difference. It's the flexibility to turn up and train wherever I am.
"As well as in the north east, I use the GLL facilities in London when I visit my brother.
"The webinars on sport psychology and nutrition have come at just the right time - and when I have been dealing with injuries."
Applications open via the website portal on 20 December 2025 and run until 20 February 2026 when the application window closes.
For more information, go to: www.gllsportfoundation.org