Promising Athletes Programme

Supporting athletes across England and Wales to achieve sporting excellence

This programme will support athletes competing at a national or regional level in their designated sport. Our programme is designed to help and support athletes to get to that next step in their sporting achievement by providing free access to much needed training facilities. Membership is open to all sportspeople, including those with disabilities who meet the eligibility criteria when applying. Online applications will be accepted throughout the year.

What's in it for me?

If successful, you will have access to free use of the fitness facilities, swimming pool and group exercise. Off Peak Racket sports can also be included if applicable to your application
Successful Applicants can only use there designated facility to train
Access to member benefits via the App
Membership will be for a 12 month period at which point you would need to re-apply and continue to meet the eligibility criteria
5 Guest Passes per year to bring along friends & family

Am I Eligible?

You must complete an online application form and provide current information. This must be backed up by written evidence from your respective National Governing Body on letter headed paper and you must meet one of the criteria below:

Member of a national squad and ranked in the top 50 for your sport and age group
Member of a Regional Squad competing at regional level in the current year
Top 8 finish at Regional or equivalent competition in the last competitive season.

These must be sporting activities and governing bodies recognised by the Sports Councils of Sports England & Sports Wales and include Disability Sports

If you are under 18, you must obtain parental consent to join the programme and anyone under 16 must be supervised by an adult at all time whilst attending the facility (the adult must be a paying customer/member or spectator only which will be free of charge)

You must live within the local authority catchment area or 10 miles of a local Parkwood, Subsidiary Companies and Partners facility

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CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership will be for a 12-month period at which point you would need to re-apply and continue to meet the eligibility criteria. No more than 2 continuous years of membership will be approved for a single applicant
There should be no disruption to other users of the facilities at any time
Facilities used by PAP members are to be related to their training programme and cannot be used simply for recreational purposes
PAP members will receive a membership card (if applicable) which must be shown on each visit in order to gain free access
As a condition of membership, PAP members will be required to support their facility during local events and agree to be part of a case study to showcase the programme (including photo using the facility and benefit of the Programme etc)
As a condition of membership, PAP members will be requested to share and post specific Parkwood, Subsidiary Companies and Partners content and good news stories via all social media channels

APPLYING FOR THE PROGRAMME

You must complete an online application form and provide current information along with meeting all criteria within the application
PAP membership is not transferable to any other person. Failure to comply with these conditions may/will result in members being removed from the programme
Applications will be considered and approved monthly
You will be sent notification of the outcome within one month of the application being submitted including specific facility terms & conditions and you will be invited to a meet & greet with the facility Centre Manager

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION

Any lost membership card will incur a fee of £2.00 for a replacement
If you are under 16, any adult accompanying you and wanting to use the facilities must be a paying customer and must pay the fees & charge applicable at the time
If you want to bring along a friend or family member then they must pay the fees & charges applicable at the time unless you are using one of the 5 guest passes

PHIL NORMAN

Welcome onboard Philip. Or Phil as he likes to be known as. Phil is an Olympian for Great Britain that competes at the highest level of his chosen sport (or event), the 3000m Steeplechase.

DAVID BROWN

David Brown, from Torbay, competes in Duathlons . You may not have heard of the event but it is similar to a Triathlon, except there are two runs and a cycle as opposed to a cycle, run and swim.

JESSIE HURTT

Introducing 15 year old Jessie Hurtt! Jessie is an up and coming athlete in Canoe Polo (also known as Kayak Polo) - if you’re not sure what Canoe Polo is, imagine a game of water polo, but the competitors are in kayak’s.

JASON BURGESS

Jason, 45, from Staffordshire is a high performance athlete competing at the very top level in his sport. The sport, however, may not be one that you have heard of.

HOLLY JONES

Holly Jones is a 24 year old graduate in Exercise and Sports Science from Exeter University, and a very talented triathlete. Holly only started competing in the triathlon after finishing her degree at 21, when her boyfriend encouraged her to find a hobby.

AARON PHIPPS

Aaron Phipps is a 38 year old Paralympic champion after the Team GB Wheelchair Rugby Squad won Gold at Toky 2020. After contracting Meningitis C and Meningococcal Sepsis in 1999, Aaron continued his love of sport by taking up wheelchair racing, being the first disabled British person toscale Mount Kilimanjaro, and many other inspirational achievements.

MATTHEW CHRONICLE

Matthew Chronicle is an athlete that didn't find the sport he excelled at until being spotted through a talent programme at university. His talent for long distance running was picked up, although running doesn't necessarily have direct involvement in the sport he now participates in; the Biathlon. The Biathlon is a race combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, and Matthew dreams of completing a Biathlon in first place.

DANIEL RABBIT

Daniel Rabbit is a 21 year old who represented Team GB and earned a 5th place finish at the Youth Olympics, and an elite athlete competing right at the top of his chosen sport; Judo. Daniel is currently the third highest rank Judo athlete in the UK and the number 1 in Wales. Daniel's mother ignited his passion for the sport by suggesting he attend a Judo class she'd seen advertised; he attended and fell in love.

The “Promising Athletes Programme” has been put in place to support talented athletes living locally to one of our leisure facilities in England and Wales.

Click below to apply.

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