Friday 27th June, 2008
ASDA GIVES A HELPING HAND TO LOCAL SPORTING TALENT
What do two gymnasts, two athletic jumpers, a sprinter, a hockey player and a table tennis player have in common with a supermarket? Well, they have all been highlighted as the best young sporting talent Yorkshire has to offer and are some of the lucky recipients of a Sporting Chance grant, from supermarket ASDA.
The seven athletes will be joining paralympic table tennis gold medallist, Cathy Mitton, today (30th June) at ASDA's head office in Leeds, to receive a cheque for £500 each. This will be the first of five grants each athlete will benefit from over the next five years. ASDA lauched the Sporting Chance scheme earlier this year in conjunction with SportsAid. The aim of the initiatives is to identify and provide financial support for the best emerging young sporting talent the UK has to offer. In Yorkshire alone, ASDA will invest over £34,000 in the next five years to support young athletes pursue their chosen sport.
*******************PHOTOCALL*****************
Join paralympic gold medallist for table tennis Cathy Mitton and eight young athletic stars* as they are presented with their ASDA Sporting chance grant and a goodie bag by executive directors at ASDA. Various sporting props will also be available.
Time: 12:00 - 12:30
Location: ASDA House, Great Wilson Street, Leeds LS115AD
Paralympic gold medalist for table tennis Cathy Mitton will be available for interview on the day, please contact the Press office to arrange.
Karen Todd, head of ASDA's local community initiatives explains “Sporting Chance is giving ASDA the opportunity to adopt and support the best home grown talent Yorkshire has to offer. By giving out much needed grants over the next five years we will be able to help athletes like these cover the cost of travel, equipment and training, giving them as much support as we can.
-Ends-
Notes for Editors
* Names of the Chosen Athletes attending the Photocall on 30th June at ASDA house
Grace Christopher Athletics - Jumps Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Performance Squad.Ranked British & English 2nd at U15 hurdles 75m.Winner at England Athletics Open Championships 75m hurdles.
Joanna Leigh HockeyMember of the U16 England TeamFinalists of the National Schools Finals in 20073rd at the U16 National Indoor Finals
Joseph Fox Gymnastics - Artistic Gymnastics Joseph is on national squad at the NDP competitions in 2006 & 2007 p3 & p2 he secured 1st placeNov 07 British age championships under 12 ranked 12th
Liam Pearson Gymnastics - Artistic Gymnastics Liam is on national squad and at the NDP competition in 2006 and 2007He came 13th & 9th respectively and at the British age championships in November 07 he was ranked 30th under 12.
Amy Merchant Athletics - Jumps Ranked 8th in the U17 UK Rankings in the High Jump eventWinner of the 2008 Yorkshire County Championships jumping her PB 1.70mAlso does combined events
Tom Mosley Athletics - Sprint Ranked 8th in the U17 UK Rankings over 100m4th at the 2007 UK School GamesWinner of the North of England U17 Championships
Scott Hollowood Table Tennis Represented County. Selected to play for England team at Cadet Tournament. Established member of English Tennis Association Academy. In UK national finals. In final of U12 and U13.
ASDA Sporting Chance Grants in Association with SportsAid
· Over 700 athletes will be selected each year (half in April and then September)
· Each of ASDA’s 380 stores will be responsible for two young athletes (one male and one female)
· Previous recipients of SportsAid bursaries include :o Sir Steve Redgraveo Dame Kelly Holmeso Dame Tanni Grey Thompson DBEo Roger Blacko Amir Khano Darren Campbell
· SportsAid is a registered charity, number 1111612.
· SportsAid is the UK's pre-eminent sports charity, the first organisation to say 'yes' to helping talented young sports people;
· SportsAid has been helping talented young British sportsmen and women since 1976 and in that time has distributed over £30 million.
· At the Athens Olympiad in 2004, SportsAid had helped 15 of the 17 British Gold Medallists and just over half of team GB.
· Typical grants of between £500 to £1,000 are available to individual athletes to help with costs such as travel, training, accommodation and equipment.
· SportsAid focuses predominantly on 12-16 year old age group (extending slightly for athletes with a disability), who are rarely able to benefit directly from Lottery funding.
· SportsAid also manages the Government-backed Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS), helping talented sports people balance academic life and performance sport.
· The young sports people are identified and nominated to SportsAid by their National Governing Body of sport; SportsAid would fund in the region of 2,000-3,000 talented sports people each year.
· Businesses or individuals who would like to directly help young British sporting talent, either nationally or perhaps local to where they are, can do so through SportsAid.
