Aspiring athletes in Preston urged to apply for GLL's Sports Foundation funding
GLL, the charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-op that operates two Better leisure centres in the city, is inviting athletes from Preston to apply for funding from the largest athlete support programme in the UK.
Awards include financial bursaries, free access to gyms, pools and other sports facilities, physiotherapy, lifestyle mentoring and mental health wellbeing support.Celebrating its 18th Year, the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) Awards 2026 are now bigger and better than ever. A record-breaking £2m of bursaries and 'in kind' support for 2026 will enable talented young athletes to take part in the UK's largest scheme of its kind.
By April 2026, over 35,000 athlete awards and almost £20million worth of support will have been distributed to aspiring sportsmen and women since the scheme's first awards in 2008.
In 2025, 12 talented individuals from Preston ranging from 15 to 37-years secured awards through the programme totalling almost £9,000.00.
38-year-old Michael Peacock from Preston, who trains at Fulwood Leisure Centre is a competitive Masters swimmer. Last year he secured multiple national podiums including silver in the 800m freestyle at the Long Course Masters British Championships and silver in the 35–39 5km open water swim at the Masters Nationals. In October, he set a new 400m freestyle personal best beating a record set over 20-years ago and won bronze in the 35–39 Master's Short Course Nationals.
Michael explained: “The GSF Awards has given me regular access to the gym and swim sessions which has really accelerated my progress and complemented my work with Preston Swimming Club. It's no accident this has been my fastest year yet. With the support of this award scheme, I'm aiming to prove that I can keep beating PB’s and perform at national level as I approach my 40s.”
Leah Williams, age 23-years from Preston who works as a specialist physiotherapist for the NHS cites the GSF Award scheme as playing a crucial role in her being crowned national masters champion 2025 in the short course championships in 200m breaststroke, the 4x50 medley, the 4x100 freestyle and the 4x100 medley relays in the age category 18-24-years,
Leah said: “The award has helped me access the pool and gym more frequently around my training sessions with Preston Swimming Club and to work on injury prevention and core strengthening which as a physio I know is really important.
Thanks to the support I’ve received I hope to progress my training and compete in the European Aquatics Masters Championships in Slovakia later this year.”
George Kneen-Cookson, GLL’s Community Sports Manager in Preston, said: “Our GSF Awards provide a lifeline to individual athletes as well as inspiring other young people in local communities.
"We encourage as many talented athletes as possible to look into the scheme and find out how they may benefit from our support."
The GSF Awards support a range of disciplines in Preston including swimming, lacrosse, golf, athletics, para swimming, tennis and cycling.
The innovative sports programme has for nearly two decades proved a popular and essential support programme for athletes battling the high costs of training, travel and equipment needed for their sporting journey.
All successful applicants will be given access to the 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its "Better" trading brand.
It has always been a core mission of the GSF programme to support young emerging talent on their sporting journey, with the majority of athletes aged under the age of 21 and the largest cohort under 18 years old. Across the programme, 88% of athletes who receive GSF Awards receive no other funding or athlete support, which underlines the importance of the scheme to its athletes - and to GLL's social values”.
With the success of UK's athletes inspiring national pride as well as widening and deepening the positive impact of sport in local communities, the GSF makes a firm claim to be the most successful independent athlete support programme of its kind in the UK.
The GSF has supported many successful athletes, including Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Anthony Joshua and Kimberley Woods. Past and present GSF athletes won 77 medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
With major events such as the Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games in 2026, the programme continues to inspire both elite performance and community engagement.
The GLL Sport Foundation's Patron is Sally Gunnell, OBE, and partners involved in the programme include; Mary Peters Trust, SportsAid, SportsAid Wales, sponsors from GLL's supply chain and Switch The Play Foundation.
Applications are open until 20th February 2026.
For more information, go to: www.gllsportfoundation.org