The University of Reading was the venue for the area’s 2025 GLL Sports Foundation (GSF) awards evening.
84 Reading-based athletes, representing 20 different sports, have received GSF support worth £55,400. 80% of them get no other central funding, 69% are under the age of 21 and 33% are under 16.
Among those collecting awards were rower and Olympic Bronze Medallist Rowan McKellar, 30; junior England badminton player Anushka Ambrose, 15; junior British climbing champion Mia Gallagher, 15; tennis player Fraser Acteson, 16; junior athlete Jaxon Kennedy, 12; taekwondo athlete Samar Chana, 12,and British canoeist Olivier Mazur, 17.
Now in its 17th year, GSF has contributed over £17m worth of athlete funding and support nationally and distributed over 30,000 awards across 117 different sports.
The Foundation supports athletes through financial bursaries, access to physical rehabilitation and mental wellbeing support and all athletes are given access to GLL’s 254 sport and leisure facilities nationwide.
Operating under the Better brand, GLL is the staff-owned charitable social enterprise that runs Meadway Sports Centre, Palmer Park Leisure Centre and Stadium, Rivermead Leisure Centre and South Reading Leisure Centre on behalf of Reading council.
The awards event began with refreshments, a photo slideshow featuring all 84 athletes and a presentation by Colin Coughtrey, GLL’s Head of Communities and Health, who talked about the growth of GSF in Reading, with applications more than double those received in 2024.
Cllr Alice Mpofu-Coles, Mayor of Reading, and GLL People Director Lorraine Patrinos presented certificates and goodie bags and GLL Worker Board Trustee Paul Shearman hosted a question-and-answer session with Olympic Bronze Medallist Rowan McKellar.
“The event was a great success,” said Steph Smith, GLL’s Area Community Sport Manager. “Forty athletes were supported by around 100 guests and there was a real sense of celebration.
“We’re delighted to have received so many more GSF applications in Reading this year and look forward to that trend continuing.”
For more information, visit www.gllsportfoundation.org
