A DORSET Community Foundation fund supported by the Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset is helping 22 young sports stars to fulfil their promise.
The Lord Lieutenant’s Fund for Young and Talented, which is backed by Lord Lieutenant Michael Dooley and Wimborne engineering company Superior Seals, awards grants of up to £1,000 towards costs that might prevent youngsters from making the most of their natural ability – such as buying kit and clothing or helping to cover the cost of competition entry fees, coaching, travel and accommodation.
The fund, now in its ninth year, has so far awarded almost £90,000. Applicants must be aged 14 to 21, have a home address in Dorset and an exceptional sporting talent that has been recognised or acknowledged by the appropriate national governing body or equivalent. They must be also able to demonstrate that they are unable to achieve their ambitions without help due to financial or personal circumstance.
Among the recipients this year is sailor Alex Jones, 16, from West Purbeck, who was awarded £1,315 to buy a new 7.5metre sail for his Waszp dinghy. It allowed him to compete in the world championships in Weymouth, where he outshone the competition to win the gold medal.
“I wouldn’t have been able to compete without this grant so it has helped me massively and made all the difference,” he said.
Rail skier Ella Hall, of Christchurch, has been awarded £520 to help her attend training camps abroad. The Brock College student said: “The grant is super helpful because it raises my ability to compete against all the Europeans, because obviously we have very limited facilities, and it puts me in a position where I can train as much as the Europeans can. We’re obviously not able to do that without this kind of help because it’s a really expensive thing.”
Volleyball player Tali Rees-Tomkins is using a £1,000 grant to travel to England training camps to help propel him to the top level of the sport.
The 15-year-old Weymouth player was invited into the England Talent Pathway after impressing scouts. “The first one was four days, three nights and it was very good,” said Tali, whose dream is to get a scholarship to an American university and eventually turn professional. “Some bits were difficult but you’re obviously going to get worse before you get better, because you’re learning new stuff. But by the end, I was definitely a lot better.
“Getting the grant was great, it made me realise that I can go to these camps and it kind of made me feel special in a way, because obviously they’ve given me £1,000 to pay for all this accommodation and travelling, so it’s really good.”
I wouldn’t have been able to compete without this grant so it has helped me massively and made all the difference
Previous recipient Harry Stewart, of Bridport, repaid the support when he finished fifth in the 100m breaststroke at the Paris Paralympics. He is now aiming for the World Championships in Singapore and the £1,000 grant will help towards training and travel.
“The grant will really help me,” said the 22-year-old, who has Asperger’s. “Although it is amazing that I now get an athlete award because of me having to live and train in Plymouth I still have to rely on my mum to help pay for all the extras.”
Netball player Isabelle Fazakerley is using a £1,000 grant for kit, equipment and the cost of training with the prestigious Bath Athlete Development Centre, where she is a member of its Team Bath Under 15 squad, as well as playing for Bournemouth.
The youngster, from Blandford Forum, travels all over the country for fixtures, said her mum Sarah.
“The grant has already been a big help for her,” she said. “We’ve bought new kit and trainers and it helped with train fares to London for a tournament. She travels a lot and it really adds up.
“But we can see the improvement in her and since last year there has been a massive change. She wants to play for England one day and she puts a lot of additional work in.”
Dorset Community Foundation Chief Executive Grant Robson said: “Because of the fantastic support we get from Superior Seals and Michael, the fund has helped a succession of talented young people propel their careers forward. Being able to afford better coaching, up to date equipment and the chance to test themselves against the best opposition is hugely important.
“I also like the fact we are able to support the parents who make so many sacrifices, in both time and money, to give their children every chance of succeeding. We are really looking forward to seeing this next generation of sporting talent progress by helping them break through the financial barriers that are holding them back.”
Full details of eligibility and how to apply can be found here.
Pictured: Sailor Alex Jones competing at the Waszp World Championships
Pictured: Volleyball player Tali Rees-Tomkins in action
Pictured: Rail skier Ella Hall in action
