A fund that has supported hundreds of aspiring athletes in Torfaen has reopened to new applications.
The Mic Morris Sporting Trust was forced to suspend it’s grant programme for the past two years due to the pandemic. Now sporting athletes aged 11-21 years, who live in Torfaen, can again apply for grants to help with costs such as travel expenses, accommodation, clothing and sports equipment.
Welsh squash star Eve Griffiths, 16, from Cwmbran, has received more than £700 from the Trust since 2018. The funding has paid for additional coaching and entry into competitions across the UK.
Eve, who has represented South East Wales at County Level since she was 9 years old, has also played for Wales’ Under 13 and Under 15 squads. She is now hoping to secure additional funding to buy equipment for the British Junior Championships in Sheffield this October.
Next, Eve is setting her sights on getting selected for the national squad for the European and World Championships in 2023. Eve, who started playing squash when she was six, said: “The Mic Morris Trust funding has really helped towards me achieving my dream which is to represent my country.
“I am so thankful to the Mic Morris Trust for contributing to what I have achieved to date and hopefully what I can achieve throughout the rest of my junior career. Thank you for all your help, it really means a lot to me.”
To be eligible, the young people must meet one or more of the following categories:
- World class performer
- Elite Cymru
- Member of a national team or squad as specified through the list provided by Sport Wales
- Ranked within the top 5 for Welsh and/or top 10 for GB (age group performance level for their discipline)
Chris Vorres, chairperson for the Mic Morris Trust, said: “We appreciate the strain it can put on a family budget when a talented child wants to progress at a competitive level. The costs of travelling, kit and equipment can be very prohibitive. The trust is here to help with those costs, all in memory of local athlete Mick Morris who was a British International runner.”
Apply for a grant
Application forms are available on the Torfaen website or by contacting Christine Philpott on 01633 628936 or email Christine.philpott@
Closing date
The closing date for applications is Monday, 3 October 2022.
