Team Run! were invited to attend the GLL Sport Foundation evening reception Monday 16th April at the BT Tower to celebrate awards to young sporting men and women from across London and the South of England.

GLL have been a key partner for Run! Activators oppreating the Athletics centres in many of the Run! boroughs and rolling out their successful Trackstars programme. Sport Foundation (GSF) is one of the largest independent supporters of sporting talent in the UK. The Foundation is designed to assist young talented athletes achieve their full sporting potential by reducing the financial burden of associated sporting costs, and widening the opportunity and access to sporting excellence. Since its launch at the House of Commons back in 2008 the scheme has more than trebled the number of athletes supported which shows the breadth of sporting talent across London and the South of England.

In 2011 the GSF supported 900 athletes across Olympic, Paralympic, Special Olympic and Deaflympic sports; to date the GSF has supported athletes to a value of over £1.5 million. The Foundation has significant support and status across Government, National Governing Bodies of Sport and partner councils. GLL has an overall social responsibility to partnerships and communities and this was pivotal in their successful appointment by the Olympic Park Legacy Company as the venue operator for the Aquatic Centre and Multi-Use Arena in legacy mode for the next ten years. The GLL Sport Foundation is a significant part of the GLL legacy in the Olympic Park and to sport in the UK.

In 2012 the GSF will through its supported athletes significantly impact the Games and more importantly its legacy. Ensuring maximum exposure and impact of the GSF and celebrate athletes sporting successes.

Waltham Forest Run! Activator Shaun Medlen attended the event and said ' It is great to see athletes being supported in this way and the impact the GLL programmes are having on the successful athletes within the borough. I was also honoured to meet the Mayor of Waltham Forest at the event and talk to him about Athletics in the borough.’

Run Project Manager Rhian Horlock said, 'We are delighted to work in partnership with GLL, the organisation have always been supportive of what Run! is trying to achieve in the London Boroughs, we are excited to develop Athletics Legacy ideas further with them.' 'The view at the top of the BT Tower was breathtaking, with views of the Olympic park in the distance and even a sports court and peculiar shaped Athletics track on a Rooftop.'

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