John Lewis joins SportsAid to help South West sports stars
To mark the two-year countdown to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the John Lewis store in Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, has donated £15,000 to help young sports stars in South West England achieve their dreams.
John Lewis is the official department store provider of the Games and its support for SportsAid will be a huge boost for the athletes, whose awards will help them meet the cost of training and competing.
Olympic silver medallist and SportsAid alumna Sharron Davies MBE opened the partnership at the John Lewis store on July 27 and congratulated the athletes on their achievements, saying:
“It takes great sacrifice both physically and financially to compete at the highest level and support such as this is vital to success. I know from my own experience that the contribution John Lewis is making through SportsAid today will make a great difference to their lives and I wish each of them the very best for their careers.”
Athletes to benefit from the new partnership include gymnast Francesca Fox from Trowbridge, para shooting competitor (and world record holder) James Bevis from Hereford, swimmer Rachel Williams from Melksham, sprinter Max Galliers from Bath and Holly Neill from Dorchester who competes in para athletics in the shot, discuss and javelin events.
“I was very happy to be given the award,” said Rachel Williams, who competes in backstroke and individual medley. “I felt like I was finally being noticed for all the work I have put in through the years.”
Like all top athletes, Rachel gives a lot to her sport. Each day starts at 4:45am for training before school and ends with another three hours in the pool until 8pm.
“The award has meant I was able to go on my first warm weather camp in Cyprus with the Bath Intensive Training Centre,” she continued. “It has helped me throughout the season and I have been abroad training and competing more than I have ever been before.”
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SportsAid, previously known as SportsAid Foundation (SAF), was founded in 1976. Its principal function was to raise funds from the private sector to provide financial assistance to Britain's amateur sportsmen and women. The aim was to help them prepare for competitions against better-funded, overseas athletes.
