Youth Sports Fund gives £114,633 to talented athletes
MORE talented young people received help from Hackney Council’s Youth Sports Fund at a special ceremony last week (Wednesday 24 July).
Since 2007, 317 talented people have received £114,633 from Hackney Council’s Youth Sports Fund. It provides assistance to talented young athletes who are committed to becoming the best they can be in their chosen sport. Support of up to £500 is available on an annual basis through an application process.

Hackney Council has been supporting talented young athletes financially since 2007. I'm very proud that we are continuing to support young people with their sporting dreams.
Bella Dmochowska who has been selected for the GB U17 Womens Foil (Cadets) team in October 2012 after gaining ranking points in selection events said; “I'm really grateful to the Youth Sports Fund for my grant as fencing is such an expensive sport. The money will help to pay for me to go to a training camp in Denmark in preparation for the new season in September.”
Aminur Islam is currently training with the British Cycling Eastern Regional school of racing and competing in regional youth circuit races. He competed in London Youth Games 2013, helping Hackney to a cycling team 5th. He said; “It has been a pleasure receiving the Youth Sports Fund grant, thank you very much for choosing me for this award.”
Vanessa Humphrey competed for Hackney in London Youth Games and went on to manage the canoeing team said; “Hackney gave me the first opportunity to compete in the youth games and when I won a medal in 2011 I became dedicated to getting better. I do this sport because it challenging and fun. The money that I have recieved will help to pay for a competition boat as they are really expensive, it will also help me become even faster.”
Anyone who is given the Gold or Silver award also receive a fully paid or half price membership respectively at one of the GLL run London leisure centres courtesy of GLL Sports Foundation, the organisation managing Hackney Council’s six leisure centres.
The talented sporting individuals Hackney Council is supporting this year through the Youth Sports Fund include:
Grace Bradley Shankar aged 15- Sailing - Stoke Newington School
Bella Dmochowska aged 16 - Fencing - The Latymer School
Zachary Stroman aged17 - Baseball Stoke Newington 6th Form
Sharon Jones Barnes aged 49 - Para
Aminur Islam aged15 - Cycling - Mossbourne Community Academy
Stanley Ramsay aged14 - Swimming - Mossbourne Community Academy
Sean James Kweku Clare aged 16 - Football - Stoke Newington College
Edie Ramsay aged 10 – Swimming - Queensbridge Primary School
Frank Ramsay aged 12 - Swimming - Mossbourne Community Academy
Iris Ramsay aged 10 - Swimming - Queensbridge Primary School
Frank Moore aged13 - Cycling - Haggerston School
Marcell Cyrille aged 9 - Ice Hockey - Holy Trinity School
Vanessa Humphrey aged17 - Kayak -City & Islington College
Tayo Edun aged14 – Football Coombe Boy School
Terrel Martin Garcia aged17 – Basketball - Hackney Community Basketball Academy
Salvador Whitehead aged 12 – Cricket - Stoke Newington School
Stanley Billson Smith aged 11 Cricket - Stoke Newington School
Marcus Cyrille aged 10 - Ice Hockey - Holy Trinity School
Marlow Depeza Purvis aged 10 – Swimming - Milfields Community School
Larry Billson Smith aged 8Tennis - Grasmere Primary School
Young people, community groups or active coaches in Hackney can apply for funding through the Youth Sports Fund by filling in an application form at: www.hackney.gov.uk/c-sports-grants
There are two further opportunities to apply for funding in 2013/14 with one grant award between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2014. The closing dates for 2013/14 are:
• 20 September 2013
• 9 January 2014
The fund was set up in November 2007 through compensation from Nike for misappropriation of the Council's logo.
For more information about the applying for Hackney Council’s Youth Sports Fund please contact Hackney Council’s Leisure & Physical Activity Team at: leisuresports@hackney.gov.uk or, 020 8356 4897.