UP-AND-COMING athletes in East Hampshire have been given the opportunity to gain much-needed support as part of a sports development scheme.

Now in its third year, Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions is providing even more talented sports men and women with the facilities and funds needed to support their training and help them reach their full potential.

A number of district athletes have recently been recruited to the scheme at Alton Sports Centre, the Taro Leisure Centre in Petersfiel, and Mill Chase Leisure Centre at Bordon, all of which Everyone Active manages on behalf of East Hampshire District Council (EHDC).

Athletes are offered either gold, silver of bronze levels of support, all of which allow them access to Everyone Active’s 160 leisure facilities across the country, with the higher tiers also offering funding for training and competition costs.

Dancers Christina and Edward Linton have been offered support through the scheme at Mill Chase, while triathlete Benjamin Saunders and cyclist Victoria Wyeth both train at Alton.

Olympic silver medallist Colin Jackson is continuing to support the scheme through his role as an ambassador. Alongside some of Team GB’s top talent, he will play an integral part in providing both one-to-one and group mentoring opportunities to the athletes.

The former hurdler said: “I’m proud to be involved with a scheme that is so dedicated to supporting athletic talent from grassroots up.

“It’s important that we drive sporting excellence in our country, and the Everyone Active Sporting Champions scheme is already supporting hundreds of talented athletes to achieve their sporting dreams.”

Over the past three years, Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions initiative has invested more than £500,000 to help 700 athletes achieve success.

As well as local up-and-coming athletes, a strong line-up of Olympic and Paralympic athletes are supported by the scheme, including gold medal-winning gymnast Max Whitlock, Team GB hockey captain and former Alton Hockey Club member Alex Danson, and wheelchair racer Jade Jones.

Everyone Active contract manager David Love said: “We see so many quality sports men and women using the centres and we are delighted to be able to support them on their journeys.

“As a leisure provider working in partnership with EHDC, we feel it is important to cater for all sectors of the community. This included emerging sporting talent, and I hope being part of the scheme makes a real difference to the athletes.”

To find out more about the Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions programme, visit easportingchampions.com.