GRANTS for budding Olympians and Paralympians are open for applications.

Wiltshire Council’s scheme to fund aspiring athletes, made possible through fundraising at the annual Wiltshire Business and Sports Gala Dinner, offers two grants to help county athletes with their training or competition needs.

The grants available include:
• Sports Scholarship grant – £500 grant is available to young athletes aged eight to 18 years old and who compete at a regional or national level. The deadline for applications is 12pm on Friday 6 December 2024
• Elite Athlete grant – £1,000 available to athletes of any age who are competing at an elite level nationally or internationally

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday, January 6.

Team GB high jumper, Tom Gale, received a grant from the scheme a decade ago.

“It was the catalyst that started me on my sporting journey as I moved up to receive the Elite Athlete Grant and that led me all the way to the Tokyo Olympics,” he said.

“And while a blood clot prevented me from competing in Paris, I am now focused on Los Angeles 2028.

“Knowing I have the support of my local community has been invaluable to me and fostered a belief in me to compete and succeed at the very highest level of sport.”

Leader of the council, Cllr Richard Clewer, said: “This funding makes a huge difference to the athletes helping them on their quest to success.

“We are delighted that as a result of hosting the annual Wiltshire Business and Sports Gala Dinner we have a foundation fund to support future Olympians and Paralympians.

“The funds are raised with the support of local businesses so that we can all offer help to both the county’s elite athletes and its future sports stars.”

The annual Wiltshire Business and Sports Gala Dinner will return in 2025.

For more information on the grants – and to apply – log on to https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/leisure-supporting-athletes.