Royal Borough bursaries - sport and the arts in the limelight

It's double celebration time again - when the Royal Borough rewards the commitment and achievements of up-and-coming young sports and arts stars with its annual round of bursaries.

A bumper crop of 80 young people - 50 sportsmen and women and 30 involved in arts activities - will step forward this week to receive their bursaries to help with travelling costs, coaching fees and equipment.

A joint funding partnership between the Royal Borough and the Louis Baylis (Maidenhead Advertiser) Charitable Trust means that once again £6,000 will be put into each of the sports and arts bursary "pots" for distribution among the award winners representing sports ranging from fencing and snowboarding to rowing and hockey and arts activities such as photography, dance and performing arts.

They will be joined by recipients of seven coach bursaries, several School Sport Partnership Awards and two sports lifetime achievement awards which will be announced on the evening.

All the award winners will receive their bursaries at a special celebration evening to be held in the Desborough Suite, Town Hall, Maidenhead, on Wednesday 9 November at 7pm.

Recipients and their guests will be welcomed by the Mayor, Cllr Asghar Majeed, before hearing borough-based guest speaker Jenna Hawkey, a member of the GB kayak team who trains at Bisham Abbey, Windsor Leisure Centre and Dorney Lake ahead of next year's Olympics.

Hosting the evening will be Olympics young ambassadors from the Ascot and Maidenhead School Sport Partnership and Windsor Sports College.

Cllr Simon Dudley, cabinet member for adult and community services, said: "I would like to thank the Louis Baylis Trust for once again supporting our bursaries scheme to help young people further their chosen sports and arts activities.

"All these young people have demonstrated both ability and commitment and deserve as much financial help as possible to help them achieve their goals and develop their talents even further.

"Hopefully these bursaries will do just that. Congratulations to everyone concerned."

For further information about sports bursaries contact Helen Preedy, sports development officer, on 01753 778565 or for arts bursaries contact Margaret Kirby, service manager, heritage and arts, on 01628 685811.

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