Bedford value support for their young athletes as key to reaching their goals

Supporting sport is seen as important by the people in the East of England – 84% of those surveyed said taking part in competitive sports benefited young people’s physical health, discipline/focus (64%) and social/teamwork skills (65%).

A quarter say that a career in sport offers great opportunities to younger people from under privileged backgrounds. That’s ahead of public sector jobs like teaching (10%) and NHS (12%) – or private sector jobs like finance (13%) and IT (22%).

Furthermore, younger people in the UK were more likely than older people to identify a career in sport as a way to make a living (30% of 18 to 24’s and 38% of 25 to 34’s versus just 22% of 55 to 64 year olds).

The research (1) was conducted by The GLL Sport Foundation. Application for the GSF Awards 2025 programme - where £1.4m in bursaries and free gym memberships is made available to communities up and down the nation - including Bedford - is now open.

The GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) was launched 17 years ago by leisure operator and charitable social enterprise GLL, with the aim of supporting talented young athletes with funding and practical help. It is the largest independent athlete support programme of its kind in the UK.

GLL operate the leisure facilities in Bedford - under the ‘Better’ brand. The programme continues to widen and deepen the opportunities that come through sport across all communities.

In 2024, GSF supported 16 athletes in Bedford with a cumulative value of £10,100.

Three quarters of survey respondents in the East of England admitted the success of UK athletes, teams and sportspeople is also important to generating a sense of national pride.

The research found this was heavily influenced by the success of heroes such as Bedford track and field athlete, Thaila-Jade Mason who won junior sports personality of the year at the 2024 Bedford Sports and Physical Activity Awards and is an inspirational role models for young people.

Commenting on how she has benefited from being on the GSF programme, 16-year-old Thaila-Jade Mason, said: “Athletics is a big part of my life and has been since a young age.

“My biggest sporting achievements so far was being selected to represent England three times, including twice in 2024, for the SIAB Schools International Championships, where I won two silver medals for Long Jump and a bronze medal in the Pentathlon. I also won a gold medal for Long Jump at the English Schools Championships last year, where I jumped 5.92m – something I’m really proud of.

“I’m totally committed to sport and put in a lot of effort, but none of this would be possible without the additional support I receive, such as the sponsorship from GLL. Being a part of the GSF programme has meant that I get to train as often as I like, and they’ve also contributed towards my training kit. I would encourage anyone with a passion for sport to apply as it can really help you achieve your goals.”

The research showed other barriers to overcome include access to facilities. GSF Awards include free access to Better Gyms and Leisure Centres across the UK. For more information and an application form, go to www.gllsportfoundation.co.uk.

GSF Awards Application window is open now and closes on 20 February 2025.