Croydon’s young sporting talent has been recognized at the GLL Sport Foundation Awards – Newsroom

Croydon’s talented young athletes who compete both nationally and internationally have been recognized at Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) Sport Foundation Awards ceremony at Ashburton Hall on 18th July.

Croydon’s Chief Executive Jason Perry attended the ceremony, which recognized 90 talented local athletes.

All 90 Croydon athletes receive support ranging from an annual training subscription to a £1,250 package including access to sports training facilities with a Better Leisure membership, physiotherapy services, lifestyle mentoring and mental health support. Leisure services are provided in Croydon in partnership with GLL under the ‘Better’ brand.

The Mayor was joined by 28 local sports enthusiasts, Councilor Andy Stranack, Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture, and GLL Sports Foundation personal.

Peter Bundey, Chief Executive of GLL and Chairman of the GLL Sport Foundation, attended to pay tribute to the athletes and everyone involved in the program. He highlighted the impact the Foundation is having in reducing inequalities across a wide range of sports.

He said: “These awards provide a welcome boost for athletes to continue the rich and diverse sports they love and excel in – enabling us to reach deep into communities across the UK to remove barriers to participation. Since the Foundation started, we have now awarded more than 28,146 awards to athletes, totaling more than £15m.”

Richard Allen, head coach of Allen Taekwondo Academy in Thornton Heath, added: “The support that the GLL Sport Foundation has given over the years to our athletes at the club is fantastic. It means our athletes train more and have extra access to the Better gyms and pools in Croydon.”

Four-time British taekwondo champion Skye Taylor, 14, training at Thornton Heath’s Allen Taekwondo Academy, said: “The award really helps with international competition and will continue to help me get closer to my dream of being a GB athlete and competing internationally.”

“Tackling inequality and improving the health of our residents is so important. Our gyms and leisure facilities offer us all opportunities to improve our wellbeing.

“These awards are a fitting tribute to our talented local athletes. I wish them all the best in their future careers and can’t wait to see them compete at the next Olympics!”

Jason Perry, Chief Executive of Croydon

GLL runs seven Better Leisure centers in Croydon as well as park tennis courts. More information about where they are located and the facilities available can be found on their website.

More details about the GLL Sport Foundation can be found on the Foundation’s website.