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Cambridge City Council

Future Champions awarded grants to help them achieve their sporting goals

21 September 2022

FOURTEEN talented young sportspeople in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire have been awarded grants to help them achieve their sporting ambitions.

The young people were this year’s recipients of grants from the Sir Arthur Marshall Future Champions Programme, which is a partnership between Cambridge City Council and Marshall of Cambridge’s ‘Sir Arthur Marshall Grass Roots Fund’.

The Future Champions programme awards grants each year to help fund gifted and talented young sportspeople aged 11-25 who live in Cambridge or South Cambridgeshire and compete at county or regional level.

Awards were presented to this year’s winners of grants at a ceremony at Marshall’s Cambridge Airport on 13 September, which was attended by The Mayor of Cambridge, Cllr Mark Ashton, Christopher Walkinshaw from Marshall Aerospace, and Cambridge City Council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Councillor for Open Spaces, Food Justice and Community Development, Cllr Alex Collis.

The judging panel for the programme meets every year to consider applications received, and awards grants of between £50 and £250 which is used to cover the cost of things like training camps, equipment, travel and entry fees.

Since the programme began, the scheme has helped fund more than 100 athletes competing in a range of sports including cricket, para-cycling, swimming, futsal, judo, triathlon, ice skating, table tennis, equestrianism, athletics, roller hockey, diving, tennis, kayaking and more.

Cllr Alex Collis, Executive Councillor for Open Spaces, Food Justice and Community Development, said: “It was a pleasure to be part of this event and to celebrate the achievements of these talented young people.

“I hope that the Future Champions grants will help them take one step closer to their goals, and perhaps their achievements will encourage other people to make the most of the sporting opportunities available in Cambridge, or to try new activities, as part of a healthy lifestyle. I’d also like to thank Marshall of Cambridge for their continued support of this excellent programme.”