Talented Athlete Fund
The Derbyshire Talented Athlete Fund is a new bursary scheme designed to support Derbyshire's emerging sports stars.
The county's top sporting performers will receive financial support to help them make the most of their talent, and to date 60 performers have each received a bursary of £300 through the scheme.
Derbyshire Sport worked with Derbyshire County Cricket Club and Lorson International to establish the Fund, and thanks to the support of local authorities and private sector funding a £28,000 pot has been established to be given out during 2008. A full list of funders can be found here.
The Derbyshire Talented Athlete Fund has been created to fill a gap within the sports system in Derbyshire. Prior to establishing this, few of Derbyshire's up and coming sports performers were able to obtain any financial support from partners in the county, to help offset the considerable costs involved in competing at regional or national level.
We have some very talented young sports people in Derbyshire and we are trying to build a sports system in Derbyshire which will allow those who become successful to look back on their early stages and remember that organisations and companies in Derbyshire recognised their talents and supported them along the way.
Managed by Derbyshire Sport, bursaries are awarded to performers who are competing for England or Great Britain or have the potential to do so within 18 months.
The aim is to help emerging sports stars who, while perhaps receiving support from club or governing body structures, are currently receiving limited support from partners within Derbyshire.
One of the most noticeable gaps in the county system is a lack of available bursaries to performers who are not yet Lottery funded or receiving help through the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme.
Performers from all sports recognised by Sport England are eligible for help to meet costs such as travel, training and equipment.
Nominations for priority sports must be received through the county governing body.
Applications from performers outside of these sports may be made by parents or coaches, or performers themselves who are aged 18 or over.
As part of the scheme it is also hoped that more local businesses will come on board, to boost the Fund further.
There are many sports people from Derbyshire who have been internationally successful, including Commonwealth medallists Donna Kellogg and Ross Davenport who are two of the county’s current high profile performers achieving success.
Just behind them are a host of young people competing successfully on the world stage for England or Great Britain in a wide range of sports, and The Derbyshire Talented Athlete Fund aims to identify and support these performers to help them fulfil their potential and compete at the highest level.
Derbyshire Sport director David Joy said: "We hope that when our sports performers achieve international success, they will be able to reflect positively on their journey and remember that the Derbyshire community recognised their talent and supported them in achieving their goals."