Member Article

Business park helps budding sports stars

Financial support from Wynyard Park is helping budding North-East sports stars achieve their full potential.

The 700-acre business park on Teesside which is home to over 70 companies supporting some 2,000 jobs, has renewed its sponsorship of a Hartlepool Sports Council fund that aims to help the town’s most talented individuals compete at the highexst possible level.

The fund is also supported by Hartlepool Borough Council.

Matt Johnson, Development Director at Wynyard Park, said: “We are delighted to renew our sponsorship of this very worthy fund and to continue our long-standing relationship with Hartlepool Sports Council.

“As a company, we are committed to providing opportunities to people - particularly young people - to help them achieve their goals in life, and our support for the fund reflects that.

“Also, the people who run Hartlepool Sports Council give up their time on a voluntary basis and we are happy to acknowledge their excellent work by continuing our financial support, together with Hartlepool Borough Council.”

David Young, Chair of Hartlepool Sports Council, said: “We are very grateful for the continued support of both Wynyard Park and Hartlepool Borough Council. It means we are able to provide vital backing to some of the town’s most talented sportspeople who might otherwise find it impossible to compete and progress in their sports.

“It is now 41 years since Hartlepool Sports Council was formed. It has done some great work over the years to support grassroots sport in the town and long may that continue.”

The fund provides grants of up to £150, although for applicants operating at a national or international level the limit is £300 and £500 respectively.

The grants cover five specific areas:

• Travel expenses
• Coaching fees
• Specialist equipment
• Sports kit
• Competition fees

To be eligible to apply for a grant, applicants need to be competing at county level or above. A letter of support from a coach is required and applicants will have to complete a competition record covering the previous 12 months. Recipients of grants must reside in, have their family home in or play their sport within the boundaries of Hartlepool Borough Council. Individual members of teams can also apply.

Grant applications must be received by 4pm on February 17 2014 and applicants will be informed of decisions by the end of February.

Application forms can be obtained from the Hartlepool Borough Council website at http://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/downloads/hsc-grants or by calling (01429) 284047.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Steve Hilton .