Wiltshire businesses raise more than £63,000 for the county's sports stars

Businesses and organisations from around Wiltshire raised a total of £63,573 last night for local sports stars at Wiltshire Council's ninth Wiltshire Business and Sports Gala Dinner, which celebrates the county's finest sporting talents.

The event, which has been held each year since 2014 save for from a break in 2021 for the pandemic, was held to raise money for local aspiring Olympians and Paralympians through the Funding Future Olympians and Paralympians Foundation, which provides financial grants to local elite athletes.

Successful applicants receive funding to assist with training and attending competitions, as well as paying for equipment and transport costs to regional, national and international events.

The event was made possible due to many businesses sponsoring and supporting the event, including the main Gold sponsors CGI, Landmarc, MiPermit and Pharmaxo.

The funding was boosted by a live auction of one-off experiences as well as a silent auction. Guest speaker Steve Backley OBE shared his inspirational and heart-warming stories of javelin gold medals and world records. The event was compered by former Bath and England rugby captain Phil de Glanville.

This year's grant recipients, each receiving £1,000, are:

• Morgan Fice-Noyes, para rowing
• Lucy-Jane Matthews, 100m hurdles
• Dan Bethell, para badminton
• Kate French MBE, modern pentathlon
• Lloyd Wallace, aerial skiing
• Ashlyn Bland, skeleton
• Tom Gale, high jump
• Marcus Webb, biathlon
• Lauren Booth, cycling
• Sarah Gee, golf

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: "Each year I am inspired by the dedication and commitment of the inspirational athletes at the Wiltshire Business and Sports Gala Dinner. They have some wonderful stories of sporting success to share, and thanks to our Funding Future Olympians and Paralympians Foundation, they will have many more successes to come.

"But this fantastic event is only made possible by the generous support we have received from the business community.

"Everyone that attends Wiltshire Business and Sports Gala Dinner helps to support and inspire our Wiltshire athletes to reach their sporting goals, and we thank all our sponsors, particularly the Gold sponsors CGI, Landmarc, MiPermit and Pharmaxo.

"This year's dinner was another successful event, and we thank all attendees for raising such an impressive amount."

The other sponsors for the event were:

• Silver sponsors: Atkins - SNC-Lavalin, Bechtle, M.J. Church, Knorr-Bremse, Learn by Design and Cumberwell Park.
• Bronze sponsors: Xn Leisure.

So far, 55 elite athletes and 55 up-and-coming young sports stars have benefitted from the Funding Future Olympians and Paralympians Foundation.

For more information about the Wiltshire Business and Sports Gala Dinner and how to get involved in the foundation, people should visit Wiltshire business and sports gala dinner.