Last night, some of south London’s most accomplished athletes came together at The Broadway Theatre, Catford to celebrate Lewisham’s GLL Sport Foundation awards.
The event – which marked the announcement of the local sportspeople who will be supported by the Foundation this year – was attended by 72 guests, including 36 athletes and their families along with Cllr Regisford Speaker of Lewisham and Cllr Aswhwell Cabinet Member for Environment, Nature, Transport and Climate Action (whose remit covers sport and leisure)
The GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) was launched in 2008 and has grown to become the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme. It provides financial and in-kind support to talented athletes of all ages, helping them overcome barriers to progress in their sporting careers.
Funding assists with essential costs such as travel, coaching, equipment, and competition fees. All supported athletes also receive free access to GLL’s sport and leisure centres and wellbeing services, operated under the ‘Better’ brand.
Nationwide, the Foundation has so far contributed nearly £20m worth of athlete funding and support and distributed nearly 35,000 awards to talented athletes in 69 areas of the UK across 121 different sports.
This year, the Lewisham arm of the GSF will be supporting 98 local sportspeople – just 4 athletes fewer than last year – with the total investment amounting to £66,770.
Yesterday’s awards evening was a chance to recognise the breadth and diversity of talent being developed in the borough’s clubs, schools and community groups, and to honour the support of families, coaches and community workers.
Duathlete Vernon Thomas, aged 82, is one of Lewisham’s GSF-supported athletes who joined in with last night’s celebrations. Formerly a triathlete, he gave up the swimming component of the discipline following an accident and now competes in running-cycling-running events. In April, he won a silver medal in his age group at the European Duathlon Games.
“I grew up in Liverpool and like everyone else up there, I wanted to be a professional footballer,” he recalls. “I was quite good but not enough to make a career out of it so I went to art college, instead, and studied a degree in printing.
“I’ve kept up with sports, though, and have tried lots of different activities over the years – rowing, rugby and running and I’ve been quite good at them all. But sport isn’t a hobby - it’s much more important than that. I like winning things and when I’m running, it’s exhilarating.”
Vernon lives in Blackheath and trains in a ‘Better’ gym three times a week for free, thanks to the support of the GSF. The award also allows him to take free yoga and Pilates classes to boost his flexibility. He is hoping to compete in Spain this summer in the European Triathlon Duathlon Championships.
“The GLL Sport Foundation is fantastic,” he comments. “I hadn’t heard about it until someone at the gym mentioned it to me and suggested I apply. I would advise anyone my age to try sport. You’re not past it, anything is possible.”
Hannah Gilmour, GLL’s Partnership Manager for Lewisham, says, “Our GLL Sport Foundation remains central to our remit to widen and deepen opportunities available to talented athletes of any age and to build a legacy through sport.
“Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and our own purposed business model, we are delighted to announce 98 athletes in Lewisham will benefit from the programme this year.
"I want to wish them every success and we look forward to seeing them in competition here and abroad in years to come."
