The deadline is fast approaching for the borough’s prospective Olympians and Paralympians of tomorrow to get funding to support them in their chosen sport.

The latest round of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Talented Athletes Fund closes next week (October 15) and is offering grants of up to £400 for borough athletes who have represented their country in the last year.

The Talented Athletes Fund is part of the council’s Local Improvement Scheme which offers financial help and support to local communities.

Grants are available to pay for travel, training, accommodation, competition and coaching fees and kit costs. The council awarded 65 grants worth more than £23,000 last year.

Two of the borough’s successful recipient have spoken of their delight at receiving funding last year.

17-year-old Joshua Plumridge from Carlton was last year picked for the Great Britain U18 handball team. He has travelled the country for training and competitions in Scotland, Manchester and London to name a few – and has just returned from Austria where he competed in the European Handball Championships.

He received fantastic feedback and as well as being named man of the match in the first match against Macedonia, and went on to be top scorer in several matches.

He will travel to Portugal later this month to compete in a local tournament and then will go to Kosovo in October to represent GB in the Emerging Nations Championship.

Mum Anne Jardine said: “Josh has really progressed in the last year with his handball. It has been a very busy year and alongside his sixth form studies and a part-time job at a supermarket, Josh has continued to be dedicated to his sport and to train hard. Since last year Josh has continued to play for both the Nottingham U19 and Men’s handball team.

“He also successfully completed a coaching course which has meant he has been able to coach younger Notts players as well as his school team – but also he has done quite a bit of refereeing of league matches.

“Sadly there is still no funding from UK Sport. However, it is increasingly important that our teams are given the opportunities to compete at an international level. This year the GB parents set up a Just Giving page which successfully helped raise £4000 toward the £15000 cost to send the team to Austria.

“Personally, the cost of fees, competition, travel at home and abroad and kit and physio increases as Josh progresses. Therefore, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Talented Athlete’s grant is a massive help towards the yearly costs.”

Toby Fisher from Arnold was with the Nottingham ice hockey team’s U15 Tigers for the last two seasons, and he will now be playing for the Nottingham U18 Cougars for 2018/2019 season. They train on a Tuesday night at the National Ice Centre, and Toby also trains with the U20 Leopards on Wednesdays and Nottingham Lions senior team on a Thursday night.

The 14-year-old lifted the U15 Division 1, North Champions title and the U15s National Champions titles with Nottingham Tigers, and has been selected for Team England, competing for his country in Bratislava. Toby also plays for Midlands Conference – a team that is made up from elite players from each club side, competing against Scotland, North, south east and south west. With Midlands Conference, the team were Winter Classic Champions in January this year and Toby was top points scorer of all players at the tournament.

Dad Glenn said: “As a family, we have supported the Nottingham Panthers Ice Hockey Team since the 1990s and Toby was just five days old when he attended his first game and there has been no looking back! He started skating at four years old with the Squirts sessions run by the NIC and joined his first team – Nottingham Sabres U10’s, aged just five.

“Toby’s passion is playing a skilled, fast paced, high octane team sport and being a winner.”

Toby attends Arnold Hill Academy, in his very little spare time away from ice hockey. He is signed for Arnold Town football club and had has a season ticket for Nottingham Panthers. In five years he would like to be playing at the highest possible level and to be part of the GB squad aiming for the Winter Olympics.

Both mum Alison, dad Glenn and older brother Jake who has also been through the Nottingham Ice Hockey Club system, support Toby, along with both sets of grandparents . The family travel all over the UK and abroad in support of him.

Cllr John Handley, vice-chairman of the Communities and Place Committee, at Nottinghamshire County Council is urging those needing funding to get in touch before the deadline.

He said: “The Talented Athletes Fund is a great opportunity for young athletes to secure funding to enable them to continue their training to whatever level they are able to reach.

“In Nottinghamshire, we are proud of our sporting heritage and want to encourage as many young people as possible to become as talented in their sport as they possibly can.”

• Applicants must live in Nottinghamshire – please read the ‘Talented Athletes Fund Application Guidelines’ for full details of the criteria for funding, which is available to download from the County Council’s website: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/talented The closing date for applications is Monday, October 15 at 5pm.

A teenager from Calverton who beat the bullies to realise her dream of becoming a top chef will be amongst those being recognised at a prestigious youth bravery awards evening later this month.

Caitlin Orchard ,17, is among the ‘super seven’ of young people from across the county who have been named as the district winners of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Outstanding Achievement 4Uth Award for 2018.

The 4Uth awards are a Nottinghamshire County Council initiative to celebrate the achievements of young people across the county. District winners will be celebrated at a ceremony at County Hall on October 26 and the overall county-wide winner will also be announced on the night.

There were approximately 80 nominations for this year’s awards – with entries received from friends, family members, youth workers and people who work in a range of voluntary, public sector and other organisations. Judging panels in each district decided the winners from three nominations in each district, and a separate judging panel assessed the final seven.

Caitlin was nominated for an award by Mohammed Yaseen, a youth worker at Calverton Young People’s Centre. He said he nominated Caitlin because of the way she has overcome problems with bullying and intimidation to learn new skills and begin a career as a chef.

Mohammed said: “Caitlin is a long-time member of Calverton Young People’s Centre who has faced immense obstacles for a 15 year old and became reclusive and socially and emotionally isolated in her family, peer groups and community.

“However, Caitlin remained connected to the centre where she maintained a positive, supportive relationship with her youth worker, Jill, who suggested that she should focus on things she really enjoyed. This led to Caitlin supporting activities in the coffee bar. It wasn’t long before she decided to put together a menu of food and recipes from around the world for young people to try out.”

Caitlin started with simple foods but soon developed her ideas, her piece de resistance being paella. This involvement encouraged young people who began to develop a new found respect for Caitlin which in turn enabled her to experiment with food.

Soon she began to teach other young people in the club to make food from around the world, challenging prejudices about food from abroad in the process, and thus enabling staff to facilitate conversations about equality and diversity in the young people’s centre.

Mohammed added: “Caitlin found her passion and began dreaming about a career in the food and hospitality industry. She soon found part time work in local pubs but was disappointed with the lack of professionalism and desire to cook high quality food.

“Having struggled at school with bullying and discrimination in her community Caitlin never lost sight of her ambition to work in high quality kitchen with real chefs. In March 2018 Caitlin secured a job as a chef at the World’s End Restaurant in Lowdham.”

“Caitlin has said that although she feels like she has finally made it at nearly 17, she will never forget the youth club where she has continued to steam up the kitchen and produce finger licking food for all the young people to try as a volunteer alongside Jill and other youth workers.”

Caitlin lives at home in Salterford Avenue, Calverton with mum Barbara and dad Nigel.

Dad Nigel said: “Caitlin goes to the young people’s centre most nights of the week. Attending the sessions has really given her a lot of confidence and she has a lot of friends there. News of this award has also really boosted her morale. We are so proud.”

Caitlin said: “The last five years at the youth club helped me get through all the sadness I was feeling outside.  I realise now that this is an amazing place where young people can go to get help with their problems and maybe find something they love. I think the club is just great.”

Cllr Tracey Taylor, is vice-chairman of the Children and Young People’s Committee, at Nottinghamshire County Council.

She said: “Caitlin has been on a real journey and her involvement with the young people’s centre has clearly helped her to develop as a person as well as learn vital new skills. It is great to hear that she is following her passion to enter the catering and hospitality industry and she is a very worthy recipient of the Gedling district 4Uth award.”

• For more details about the awards visit the Nottinghamshire County Council website: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/4Uth 

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