cant afford talented daughters sports training travel etc

ellens

Hello. I am a single mum with a talented 14 year old biathlete. its getting to the stage now when unlike other better off parents, cannot afford the costs of training, travel, etc.

I am also not very good at "managing" her training, and where to go for extra help and advice. others seem to know everything before I do!!

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

chivers1977

hi, if you call your council or look online there are often grants available for young athletes. i got one and my 16 yr old BIL has had £1500 per yr for 2 yrs from a local bursary. HTH

marklefty

Like chivers1977, My daughter was in the welsh fishing team, wrote to the council and got transport allowance, wrote to WI, Round table, and all organisations I could think of in the area and had a lot of help. Also it is worth contacting sports companies as sponsors, local and national. You could try email as it is free but I did not get much response as you would need to speak to managers and above, who dont read general emails.

Redbedhead

I am treasurer of a swimming club and we have to make available a hardship fund for any talented swimmers who may not be able to afford all the equipment / training / meet entries. Does your child's club have anything similar?

ditzymuppet

Have you tried the local:

Lions Clubs? Leo Clubs?
Youth Clubs?
Council? / Youth Services?
Local Papers?
Schools?
Sports Centre?
Rotary/Rotaract Clubs?

I'd recommend writing to the Lions clubs especially as they are keen to promote young sportsmanship within the area. My local Lions Club supported Canoeist Helen Reeves....who at the Olympics scooped a medal so it's amazing how little acorns grown n'all that, good luck for your daughter,

~ditzy x

ellens

thank you all very much! i will do every thing!

savvy

The main area to target in your council, would be your local Sports Development Officer. They will assist you in locating funds and then, applying for them, which can be pedantic at times. They should have a database of the many funds available and the criteria that you need to match to apply, ours was called Funder Finder

Dora_the_Explorer_5

FunderFinder is available nationally and can be accessed through local councils, CVS offices and with a bit of luck - CAB.

Zziggi

My brother is an international standard athelete and was picked to go to the olympics in Austrailia 2 olympics ago. Money for any talented young people is practically impossible to find. My parents had the same problem when my bro was younger and clearly had a talent. The got very little help despite trying absolutely every avenue available - maybe a few hundred pounds per year which was a drop in the ocean. Sorry to sound just so negative but we want British sportspeople to do well but no-one wants to pay and no-one wants to invest. Then we always complain when we bomb out of wimbeldon, world cup, commonwelth games & olympics etc etc

Only the very best get any money (lottery funding) but they often already have sponsorship- it's all or nothing. Help is just unavailable for those with talent and working their way up. My brother has seriously considered applying for citizenship in another country as any other country on the UK's standing invests in talented sportspeople.

Hello. I am a single mum with a talented 14 year old biathlete. its getting to the stage now when unlike other better off parents, cannot afford the costs of training, travel, etc.

I'm really sorry to sound so negative but "that's life". I shouldn't be, but it is. \i hope you do find a regular source of funding but you'll be lucky. Odd grants maybe available as one-off payments.

P.S. as a young adult (16+) my bro found that funding dried up even further. At this age only those who had a previous drugs problem, committed petty crimes or came from severely underprivalidged backgrounds or been in care got any funding.

ellens

Thank you all. Yes it does seem dire. perhaps she should be a footballers daughter, and get her own tv show!

Savvy_Sue

I hope ellens isn't too depressed by Zziggi's brother's experience ... my understanding is that they're intending to throw money at young athletes because we've got the Olympics in a few years' time!