Nottinghamshire’s up-and-coming athletes and those aspiring to compete at the highest level can now apply for funding to help cover the costs of training and equipment.

The Local Communities Fund: Talented Athletes is a dedicated fund of £50,000 to help up-and-coming athletes recognise their potential in their chosen sport – and those competing in disability/parasports who may require expensive adapted equipment, clothing, or have higher transport costs.

Nottinghamshire County Council has opened the latest round of funding today (Monday 17 November), with grants up to £1,000 available for aspiring sports stars and athletes. They can find out if they are eligible to apply by visiting the Talented Athletes website.

Athletes who have previously received support from the funding scheme include Mansfield’s Paralympic champion Charlotte Henshaw MBE; gymnasts Sam Oldham, Becky Downie and Ellie Downie; swimmer Ollie Hynd; athlete Richard Whitehead and show jumper Sophie Wells.

Team GB sprinter Lee Thompson, 28, pictured, who competed in the recent World Championships in Tokyo, is one athlete who has benefitted from County Council funding.

He said: “The Talented Athletes Fund has helped me over the span of many years, from a developing athlete hoping to achieve great things, to becoming an Olympian and competing in many major international competitions over the years.

“I've used the grants I received in many ways to help me progress as an athlete, but to be specific, this grant has allowed me to travel to many higher standard overseas competitions, seek out physio help for recovery and injuries, new kit and equipment for racing and training, I also used the grant at one point to purchase myself some compression boots to aid my recovery.”

Since receiving the grant, the Worksop athlete has become a two-time British Indoor 400m champion and has competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, two World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships.

Councillor Dawn Justice, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health, said: “Nottinghamshire has a rich sporting heritage and, as a council, we have a proud track record of supporting up-and-coming sportsmen and women on their sporting journey through the Talented Athletes Fund.

“I am delighted that we are continuing with this successful funding scheme, especially at a time when young athletes are faced with rising costs to pay for training and equipment.

“We know that competing at a high level can be expensive, so I would encourage any of our eligible athletes and their parents to apply for the funding as it could make a big difference in helping them reach their potential and go towards helping ease any financial concerns.”

Kerryn Chamberlin, Deputy Chief Executive of Active Notts, said the grants provided the perfect opportunity for eligible athletes to help overcome financial challenges.

She said: “The Talented Athletes Fund is a fantastic initiative which we are always happy to fully support.

“It plays such a vital role in supporting our local athletes, especially those facing additional costs if competing in the Paralympics and Special Olympics, to help them cover costs such as travel expenses, specialist equipment, coaching fees and training costs.

“This is an opportunity not to be missed for our local sportspeople, and we would encourage eligible athletes from all backgrounds to apply to this fund.”

To apply or to check eligibility, go to the Talented Athletes website.

The fund will be open until Friday 5 December 2025.