Trust to fund sports stars of the future (From Worcester News)

Trust to fund sports stars of the future

11:30am Monday 7th January 2013 in News

SPORTS stars of the future have been given a funding boost from a charitable trust set up in memory of a sports-mad Worcestershire woman.

Malvern’s Joanna Brown fell to her death, aged 30, while travelling in Siberia after visiting the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

After her death her brother Richard founded the Joanna Brown Trust to provide local people with an opportunity to experience and excel in sport.

The trust has since raised more than £90,000 and has just announced the latest group of talented Worcestershire youngsters to benefit from grants towards their pursuit of sporting excellence.

They include Tazmin Pugh, a talented 11-year-old swimmer who won 11 medals at this year’s county championships and went on to place 10th in her age group at the UK National Championships.

Tazmin’s long-term aim is to represent Great Britain at the 2020 Olympics and she has thanked the Joanna Brown Trust for her support.

“I am so thoroughly grateful for your kind offer of support, it couldn’t have come at a better time as my father and myself are struggling to cope with the costs involved of high level competition,” she said.

Other award winners are 15-year-old rugby player Rhiannon Donnahey, 13-year-old swimmer Abigail Humphreys, 11-year-old BMX racer Libby Smith, 16-year-old fencer Elizabeth Powell, 17-year-old athlete Joseph Kinsey, 17-year-old disabled table tennis player Craig Allen and 16-year-old kayaker William Bird.

Mr Brown believes that this year’s record number of grant applications is part of the London 2012 Olympics legacy and said it was difficult to choose who to support out of so many talented young athletes.

“The aim of the Joanna Brown Trust is to provide people with an opportunity to experience sport and excel in it,” he said.

“Jo was all about striving to be the best she could and, with the help of the Sports Partnership Herefordshire and Worcestershire, we are now able to help young athletes in the area be the best they can.”

Each athlete will receive a grant of £500 and has been invited to a special presentation at the University of Worcester on January 27.