Talented Athlete Fund is backed by Derbyshire County Cricket Club and the University of Derby
Derbyshire County Cricket Club and the University of Derby have given their backing to the Talented Athlete Fund.
The new bursary scheme supports Derbyshire’s emerging sports stars, and both the Cricket Club and the University have pledged to help meet the training needs of sports men and women in the county who are competing for England or Great Britain or have the potential to do so within the next 18 months.
Derbyshire County Cricket Club will raise money for the Derbyshire Talented Athlete Fund by donating £2 from every club shirt sold.
And the University of Derby has committed its support by offering ten full fee scholarships for students in the programme who wish to study at the University.
The two organisations officially pledged their support during a photocall at The County Ground.
Keith Loring, Head of Commercial at Derbyshire County Cricket Club, and Hari Punchihewa, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Finance Director at the University of Derby, met with Rachel Weir, the Marketing Manager for Derbyshire Sport.
Derbyshire Cricket Club Chairman Don Amott said: “When I see athletes from my county perform and succeed on the world stage it makes me very proud to be from Derbyshire and I want to see more of it.
“The Talented Athlete Fund will help ensure that more and more youngsters can continue to follow their dreams of one day emulating the likes of Ross Davenport without being stopped by economic hindrances.
“Offering financial support to those destined for the top is a great initiative and something that all businesses should consider to make a tremendous contribution to their community.”
Hari Punchihewa, the University of Derby’s Pro Vice-Chancellor and Finance Director, said: “At the University of Derby, we’re committed to nurturing talent and helping people find flexible ways of fitting study around their busy lives.
“We are delighted to make these opportunities available for our local athletes to study locally and to broaden their horizons while they continue to train.”
Keith Loring, head of sport and business consultancy Lorson International and David Joy, Director of Derbyshire Sport, began talks about establishing this fund a little under 12 months ago. Since then they have worked with partners to bring the Fund to fruition.
All of the local authorities in the county have committed a total of £19,000 to the fund and it is hoped to raise a total of £40,000 in the first year in order to provide bursary awards to at least 75 of Derbyshire’s most talented perfomers.
Work has now begun to secure additional financial support from other public sector organisations and private sector companies.
Those who have already committed resources to the fund include Rolls-Royce, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Derby College, Spirita and the Electrical Contractors Association.
The Derbyshire Talented Athlete Fund is to be managed by Derbyshire Sport.
Performers from all sports recognised by Sport England will be eligible for the awards, except those who are already receiving individual lottery awards or TASS funding. Applicants should already be competing for England or Great Britain or be able to demonstrate the potential to compete at this level within the next 18 months.
Athletes from within 26 priority sports must be nominated by their governing bodies of sport and this process is now well underway. Performers in non prioirty sports should apply directly to the fund by December 31, 2007, and details can be found here.
In this first year, recipients will receive a bursary of £300 to be used to help offset costs associated with training and competition such as coaching fees, travel to competition and equipment purchases.
The first 18 athletes, from 8 sports, who will receive funding will be announced at the official launch of The Derbyshire Talented Athlete Fund at the Derbyshire County Cricket Club on December 11. A further 60 athletes from other sports will be announced in February 2008.