Charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-op GLL has announced that 1326 athletes in Greater London will benefit from the 2026 intake of its GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) – the largest independent athlete award programme in the UK.
Now in its 18th year, the GLL Sport Foundation has so far contributed nearly £20m worth of athlete funding and support and distributed nearly 35,000 awards to young and talented athletes in 69 areas of the UK where GLL operate and across 121 different sports.
Between them, sportspeople in Greater London will receive almost a million pounds in financial and ‘in-kind’ support in the coming twelve months.
With 86% of this year’s cohort receiving no other form of funding – up 3% from 2025 – it outlines the significant contribution the athlete programme makes against the challenge of the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Over 18 years, the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) has continued to be at the forefront of developing local young athletic talent with 63% of athletes under the age of 21.
GLL’s own research shows that many talented athletes struggle to realise their dreams of sporting glory due to rising costs of equipment, training, physiotherapy, travel and nutrition. For them, a GSF Award can be the lifeline to staying in training and meeting their potential.
Fencing champion Mohammed Belbouab, 16, is one of this year’s GSF London beneficiaries from the borough of Newham. He is currently ranked number one in the UK in his age group and took up the sport about 8 years ago.
“Fencing can be an expensive sport,” he explains, “so being supported by the GSF will help with the cost of equipment. It also means that I can book a hall in a ‘Better’ leisure centre to practise footwork and fencing techniques. My mum says I can’t quit because she’s already spent so much money!”
Fellow athlete and diver Desharne Bent-Ashmeil, 21, is being supported by the GSF in Croydon. “I’m a university student and have just moved to Tennessee,” she comments. “The funding will help so much with the cost of flights when I have competitions. Receiving this award in previous years has been so helpful to my diving career and I’m forever grateful for everything the Foundation has done to help me progress on my journey.”
The GSF supports athletes through financial bursaries, access to physical rehabilitation and mental wellbeing support and all athletes are also given access to over 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its “BETTER” brand.
37% of GSF 2026’s cohort are new applicants – showing the successful growth and reach of the scheme across communities in Northern Ireland, Wales and England.
GSF Patron Sally Gunnell OBE said: “It’s fantastic to see the GLL Sport Foundation announcing its largest ever award cohort in 2026.
“The support continues to make a difference to young athletes at precisely the point in their careers when they most need it – keeping them training and focused on success.”
“I wish them the very best of luck in their sporting careers.”
GSF Chair and GLL CEO Peter Bundey said: “GLL is a successful worker-owned cooperative and charitable social enterprise that has brought growing impact to public services and local communities over 33 years of successful operation.
“Our GLL Sport Foundation remains central to our remit to widen and deepen opportunities available to talented young athletes and build a legacy through sport.
“Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and our own purposed business model we are delighted to announce a record 3234 athletes will benefit from the programme this year.
“I want to wish them every success and we look forward to seeing them in competition here and abroad in years to come.”
The GSF Annual Report will be released shortly. For more information visit www.gllsportfoundation.org
The GLL Sport Foundation’s Patron is Sally Gunnell, OBE and partners involved in the programme include; SportsAid, SportsAid Wales, Mary Peters Trust, sponsors from GLL’s supply chain and local authority partners.
