GSF has previously supported athletes that have excelled in Olympics and Paralympics including Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Daryl Neita and Anthony Joshua

The GLL Sport Foundation event at Dugdale Arts Centre

Thirty-nine athletes from Enfield representing 14 different sports will benefit from more than £25,000 of support from a London charity.

GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) is the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme, offering £1.4m worth of assistance in the form of financial support, free access to sport facilities, physiotherapy, lifestyle mentoring and mental health support.

At a GSF Awards event held at Dugdale Arts Centre in Enfield Town this week, young sports people were presented with a number of prizes.

The event – held in collaboration with Enfield Council’s London Youth Games team – was attended by athletes and partners who gathered to hear how this year’s award fund will help support talented local athletes on their sporting journey, including ten-year-old Talia Tasou from Enfield.

Talia has been ice skating since the age of three and trains across Enfield leisure centres and Lee Valley Ice Centre. In January, Talia’s synchronised ice skating team won gold at the British Championships and she is determined to win more medals.

All GSF athletes are given access to over 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by Greenwich Leisure Ltd, under its Better brand. GLL took over the running of Enfield Council’s leisure centres in December 2023.

“I am so grateful for the GSF membership,” said Talia. “I get to use the gym facilities and the studio for off-ice and I also get the funded extra session each week to practice on the ice, which helps me get better and better!”

Also attending the event, council leader Ergin Erbil said: “Well done to all the athletes receiving an award – it is a real testament to their hard work, stamina and ambition. GLL Sport Foundation supports so many local athletes of all ages, helping them excel across a wide range of sports and it’s fantastic to see so many of them being recognised for their achievements. Hopefully we’ll see some of this year’s award winners going onto achieve even greater accolades.”

GSF has previously supported athletes that have excelled in major competitions and have gained over 86 Olympic and Paralympic medals, including Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Daryl Neita and Anthony Joshua.

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