Young Sports Stars Recognised

Outstanding young sportsmen and women were recognised at the annual Set4Success awards, held at Christ’s Hospital School on Friday, 31 January.

Twenty-four applicants representing sports ranging from football, netball and hockey to baseball, synchronised swimming and motocross received a Set4Success award, which includes a financial contribution towards coaching and expenses, as well as free use of fitness facilities, courtesy of Places Leisure.

Set4Success is a charitable organisation created by the Rotary Club of Horsham in 2010, run in partnership with representatives of Horsham District Council, schools, businesses and sports and leisure providers. To be eligible for an S4S award, candidates must be 11 to 18 years old, live or attend school in the Horsham district and be competing at a high level. To date, the charity has supported more than 200 young people, with previous winners including hockey player Lucy Wood, a Commonwealth Games silver medallist, and golfer Marco Penge, now playing on the PGA EuroPro Tour.

This year’s recipients are: Fynn Talley (football), Gavin Cherubini and Ace White (Muay Thai), Andrew Harrison (badminton), Esme King (motocross), Jodie Cherubini (Brazilian jiu jitsu), Madeline Giller (netball), Isabella Hayes (triathlon), Cecily Turner (water polo), Charlie Denton (karate), Emily Oliver (pentathlon), Alex Richer (cross country/athletics), Mame Sow (athletics), Leo Walker (shot put/discus), Anna Sayers and Millie Weeden (swimming), Siena Keijasers (hockey), Cameron Weir and Albert Maskell (frisbee), Ranjuo Tomblin and LeAnne Tomblin (synchronised swimming), Maddy Barnes (shooting) and Louis Dean (baseball). Set4Success also presents an award for Outstanding Achievement, sponsored by Christ’s Hospital School. This year’s recipient is Fynn Talley, currently on a two-year apprenticeship at Brighton

S4S winners with Councillor Kate Rowbottom, Chair of Horsham District Council. Photo by Jon Rigby Photography.

and Hove Albion FC. The goalkeeper has represented England at Under-16 and Under-17 level. Fynn was away with his club, so his parents attended on his behalf.

Hosting the ceremony, S4S Committee Member Mike Sutton paid tribute to the charity’s founder John Le Rossignol.

Mr Sutton said: “John was a big man with a big heart. We would not be sitting here without him and the 140 previous award winners would not have been recognised without his vision. One week before John passed away, last year's Outstanding Achievement winner, Emily Orman, signed her first professional contract with Chelsea, which is John's team. I can't think of a more fitting way to represent his legacy to Set4Success.”

Mike Sutton also praised the young recipients for their dedication and commitment. He said: “Despite the many advancements and support available to young people today, life is faster, busier and if you want to reach the pinnacle of sport, is far more competitive and intense than it once was. There are more distractions, greater expectations and increased pressure. Those of you receiving awards should not only be proud of your achievements, but conscious of the responsibility you have in being role models to your peers. In a world obsessed with instant gratification, you are the embodiment of resilience, creativity, aspiration and a growth mind-set.” For more details or to apply for a future Set4Success Award, visit: www.set4success.org

My name is Nicky Fuller and, for those of you that I haven’t met yet, I am the Rural Outreach Development Worker for Age UK Horsham District. I have been speaking to Claire Edgal at Trafalgar School in Horsham. She is keen to get some older members of our community into the school, on a regular basis, to listen to the children reading.

Adults will need to be DBS checked (paid for by the school) and the reading sessions will take place on Tuesdays from 9am – 10.30am and Thursdays 1.15pm –2.45pm to start with. If there is a lot of interest, then the school might be able to offer other times so do get in touch even if the times suggested don’t suit. Ideally, this will be a weekly event during term time but this is not essential. As long as the school know when readers are not available, then every other week or monthly would be wonderful too.

If you are interested, please contact me at Age UK on 01403 260560 and I will call you back, or you can email me: NickyF@ageukhorshamdistrict.org.uk

Our Sales Manager, Gemma, is taking part in the St. Catherines Hospice Firewalk 2020 and her children, Tia (10) and Grace (7), will be partaking in the children’s Legowalk (OUCH!) on Friday 13th March 2020 in The Carfax, Horsham.

Gemma says “We are very excited to be taking part in the Firewalk and Legowalk this year. I have been fundraising for St. Catherine's Hospice by singing for a few years now and the girls have played their part in this by being fantastic collection bucket holders over the years, so we thought we would try something different to support this amazing charity in 2020.”

To support Gemma, Tia and Grace to reach their fundraising target, please head over to their Gofundme page gf.me/u/xbjqza any support would be most appreciated – Thank you!