TLDR
- North East athletes can now apply for the 2026 GLL Sport Foundation Awards.
- The scheme offers bursaries, free facility access and wellbeing support.
- £2m of funding and in-kind support will be awarded nationally for 2026.
- Applications close on 20 February 2026.
Athletes from across the North East are being encouraged to apply for funding and support through the 2026 GLL Sport Foundation Awards, the largest athlete support programme of its kind in the UK.
The scheme is delivered by GLL, the charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-operative that operates Better leisure centres across the region.
Record investment for 2026
Celebrating its 18th year, the GLL Sport Foundation awards will distribute a record £2 million in bursaries and in-kind support during 2026. The programme provides financial assistance alongside free access to gyms, pools and sports facilities, physiotherapy, lifestyle mentoring and mental health wellbeing support.
Since the first awards in 2008, almost £20 million worth of support will have been distributed by April 2026, benefiting more than 35,000 athletes nationwide.
North East success stories
In 2025, 58 athletes from the North East received awards through the programme, with support totalling £40,000. Among them was Anna Nicholson from Chester-le-Street, who trains at Gateshead International Stadium and Heworth Leisure Centre.
In October 2025, Anna, who has cerebral palsy, competed at her third World Para Athletics Championships, winning bronze in the F35 Shot Put with a personal best throw of 9.58 metres. She has since returned to training with a focus on the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.
Anna explained:
“The GSF award gives me the opportunity to access all Better leisure facilities to train and work towards my goals without worrying about membership costs associated with using the track, gym and pool.
“The scheme has supported my athletics journey from being a very new athlete aged 16-years to competing in competitions across the country. The backing of GSF and other people having faith in me gave me the confidence and determination to believe that could I achieve anything I put my mind to.”
Removing barriers to participation
Alison Westworth, GLL’s Partnership Manager for Newcastle, said:
“Our GSF Awards have always been about removing barriers and giving talented athletes the opportunity to fulfil their potential, providing a lifeline to individual athletes as well as inspiring other young people in local communities.
“We’re incredibly proud to be supporting athletes across the North East and these awards can be truly transformational for sportspeople at a crucial stage in their development. We encourage as many people as possible to look into the scheme and find out how they may benefit from our support.”
The awards support a wide range of sports across the region, including swimming, athletics, netball, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, shooting, basketball, gymnastics, disc golf and wrestling.
National reach and long-term impact
All successful applicants receive access to more than 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its Better brand.
The programme primarily supports young emerging talent, with most recipients aged under 21 and the largest cohort under 18. Across the scheme, 88 percent of athletes receive no other form of funding or athlete support.
Former and current GSF-supported athletes include Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Anthony Joshua and Kimberley Woods. Past and present GSF athletes won a combined 77 medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Looking ahead
With major events including the Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games taking place in 2026, the programme continues to play a role in supporting elite performance while encouraging participation and inspiration at community level.
The GLL Sport Foundation’s Patron is Sally Gunnell OBE. Programme partners include the Mary Peters Trust, SportsAid, SportsAid Wales, Switch The Play Foundation and sponsors from GLL’s supply chain.
Applications for the 2026 awards close on 20 February 2026. Further information is available at www.gllsportfoundation.org
The GLL Sport Foundation Awards remain a key source of support for young athletes facing the financial pressures of training, competition and progression, with the 2026 programme offering its largest level of backing to date.
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