Athletes benefit from SportsAid grants

Saturday 14th March 2015

Guy Learmonth: among those athletes to receive important cash support

Support for athletes is a crucial issue and scottishathletics are lucky to enjoy an important partnership in that regard with SportsAid Scotland.

SportsAid Scotland is a charity, based in Edinburgh, which raises funds through its contacts with various charitable and corporate partners, as well as from its loyal Patrons, and from a variety of fundraising events.

In recent years, SportsAid Scotland has raised in excess of £250,000 annually, and has used these funds to make grant awards of between £500 and £1,000 each year to 250 to 300 of Scotland’s most promising sporting youngsters aged from 12 to 22, as well as to disability sports stars up to the age of 45. The awards are aimed at assisting the youngsters with their costs incurred in relation to their training, travel and competing in their chosen sport.

So far in 2015 there have been a number of grants awarded by SportsAid Scotland to Scottish athletes from track and field, cross country and hill running disciplines and here’s a round-up of some of the recipients – and the generous sponsors.

Emily Dudgeon: funding support

*SSE are this year supporting 100 of UK’s finest sporting youngsters through their ‘Next Generation’ athletes scheme, with awards of £1,000 each. Of these 100 recipients, 31 are Scottish, and they include the following athletes:

Katie Purves

Emily Dudgeon

Catriona Graves

Jack Lawrie

Andrew Lawler

Paul Davidson

Robert Ferrol

Kirsten McAslan

*The Robertson Trust is another important backer of Scottish sport and is a key partner of SportsAid Scotland.

Each of the following athletes has received £1000 via the generosity of the Robertson Trust.

Shaun Wyllie

Kirsten McAslan

Guy Learmonth

Rhona Auckland

Callum Hawkins

Kimberley Reed

Ciaran Wright

Emma Nuttall

Kirsty Yates

*Former Scottish pole vaulter, David Stevenson, has provided funds for six awards of 1000 each to young athletes who are either competing in the ‘jump’ disciplines, or who live in the west half of the Borders.

The awards are being funded through David’s own trust fund, established several years ago. This was established in 1966. David was a very talented pole vaulter who competed for GB in the 1964 Olympic Games, and for Scotland in the 1962, 1966 and 1970 Commonwealth Games.

David has now opted to support:

Lewis McGuire

Rachel Robertson

Holly McArthur

Anna Gordon

Shelby Watson