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APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR YOUNG TALENTED SWINDON ATHLETES TO APPLY FOR GLL SPORT FOUNDATION FUNDING

Applications are open for talented young sports men and women across Swindon to apply for funding for 2014 from the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) – an independent athlete support scheme which works in partnership with national charity SportsAid to support the next generation of sporting talent.

In 2013, GSF supported 1300 athletes to achieve sporting success including 15 year old Amy Marren who is now 3x World champion after achieving triple gold success at the IPC World Swimming Championships in Canada. 17 year old Sabrina Bakare also became a World champion with 400m gold at the IAAF World Youth Athletics Championships in Ukraine setting a new personal best time of 52.77 in the process.

With these phenomenal achievements GB are set for further success on the elite stage at both the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and then the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

GSF understands the obstacles and barriers athletes face in reaching the top, a massive 90% of 2013 GSF award recipients received no other centralised funding while research by SportsAid shows their average annual expenditure is more than £6,000. To support young athlete journeys to these pinnacle events rising sport stars have until 20 February 2014 to apply for a share of the GSF funding pot of £1million.

GSF was launched by charitable social enterprise, GLL, in 2008. Since then, the GSF has provided over 5000 awards across 80 Olympic, Paralympic, Deaflympic and Special Olympic sports with support worth over £2.8million.

Sally Gunnell - OBE, GLL Sport Foundation Patron and former concurrent Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth 400m hurdles title holder explains, “From my own experience starting out as a young athlete and progressing through my sport, I understand how support from the Foundation can be to the realisation of sporting ambitions”. “We will now ensure that we take full advantage from the inspiration from the Games and harness the legacy for the gifted and talented youth of our nation”.

GLL Sport Foundation Chairman, Peter Bundey states, “It is crucial that we support the talent and enthusiasm of our young sporting stars. We can help young athletes bridge the difficult leap from regional to national level as they start to become ready for senior competition”. “We are delighted to continue to work in partnership with SportsAid, who provide vital links between us and national governing bodies of sport. Working with SportsAid ensures that our funding becomes part of the national talent development programmes, which is important for all sports and young sporting talent”.

SportsAid’s Chief Executive Tim Lawler adds, “Working with the GLL Sport Foundation enables us to help more young athletes and ensure the right people are funded at the right time. In the wake of London 2012 we know these athletes are more committed to sport than ever before but also more reliant on our support.”

To be eligible for a grant, young sportsmen and women must live or be in education in a partnership where GLL or its partners operate; or be affiliated to a sports club that has a training base at a GLL or partner operated sport and leisure venue.

To apply and find out further details of the scheme please go to the GSF website at www.gllsportfoundation.org. Applications for 2014 awards are open until 20 February 2014.

Each of the successful applicants will benefit from financial and or training awards. Financial awards of up to £1,250 will support athletes’ associated travel, competition and equipment costings during the next 12 months. Recipients will also benefit from training awards that allow free sporting access to more than 130 sport and leisure venues managed by GLL and partners across the UK.

-End- Notes to the editor:

 GLL is a charitable social enterprise that manages sport and leisure venues in partnership with local authority and public service organisations.  The GLL Sport Foundation is a subsidiary organisation of GLL.  The GLL Sport Foundation was launched at the House of Commons in 2008.  The GLL Sport Foundation operates under the patronage of Sally Gunnell – OBE.

 The GLL Sport Foundation is funded by: * Premium Sponsors: - GLL – leisure’s most successful social enterprise - Technogym – the wellness company - Speedo – the worlds best swimwear brand - SRS Leisure – complete retail solutions - Selecta – vending services - Zurich – insurance based financial services * Sponsors: - Communisis – communication channelled - Margolis – business systems - Insite – flexible IT services delivered * Supporters: - Birdsall, McCabe Ford Williams, Middlesex University & London Sport Institute, Physiotherapy Solutions, Taylor Made Designs and Tennant Group.

 The GLL Sport Foundation works in partnership with SportsAid to co-ordinate talent identification and national governing body funding recommendations.  The GLL Sport Foundation works in partnership with the following Borough / District athlete talent schemes: Hackney Youth Sport Fund, Halo Bridgend Sport Foundation, Greenwich Starting Blocks, Lambeth Gifted and Talented Programme, West Oxfordshire Sports Awards and Westminster Champions of the Future Programme.

 For further information, visit www.gllsportfoundation.org  Follow us on Twitter @gllsf

 For further details please contact – Mark Gliddon – [email protected]

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