GLL awards for athletes in Cambridgeshire

Worth nearly £13,900, the awards included financial bursaries, training, access membership, and physiotherapy to help 21 athletes across 12 different sports with the cost of preparing and competing for national and international competitions.

71% of the supported athletes receive no other sports funding, with 29% under the age of 21 and 5% under 16 years. 14% of athletes are from an ethnic minority background.

In addition, GLL has partnered with Switch The Play Foundation (STPF) to offer holistic mental wellbeing support services to athletes.

Ten of the 21 athletes attended and received a GSF certificate from councillor Mark Ashton of Cambridge City Council, to commemorate their acceptance to the largest independent athlete award programme in the UK.

After the awards a Q&A was held with Cambridge Paralympian and GLL Sports Foundation ambassador, Louis Rolfe MBE, himself a recipient of a GSF award. Louis had just returned from Paris 2024 where he worked with the Olympic broadcasting committee on the coverage of the Paris Olympic Games.

“It was a truly inspiring and joyous evening at Cherry Hinton Village Leisure Centre,” said GLL Community Sport Manager Louis Green. “We would like to congratulate all of the athletes that have been accepted onto the GLL Sports Foundation scheme for the 2024 season. Well done and keep up the good work!”

GLL runs five leisure centres on behalf of Cambridge City Council and The Hive Leisure Centre in Ely for East Cambridgeshire District Council.

Recipients of the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) awards in Cambridgeshire are as follows:

2024 Achievement Athletes

Ben Snaith, 28, athletics

Claire Connon, 38, para swimming

Thomas Somers, 26, athletics

2024 Top Up Over 18

Luke Mccarron, 25, triathlon

Oliver Mill, 19, triathlon

Lucy Williams, 22, judo

James Teagle, 27, triathlon

2024 Talent Athletes

Moira Howard, 16, athletics

2024 Training Athletes

Charlotte Begg, 29, swimming

Sophie Bambridge, 18, athletics

Ben Redman, 46, triathlon

Thomas Hufford, 19, athletics

Jamie Cone, 33, tag rugby

Anna Maria Fischer, 42, canoeing

Samantha Auker, 28 swimming

Freya Lenton, 27, ultimate frisbee

Liam Barnett, 36, swimming

Lavinia-Marie Harlow, 17, korfball

Tobi Fayomi, 13, diving

Gary Cheuk Hei Lam, 22, korfball

Other award recipients:

Louis Rolfe MBE, 26, triathlon