press release: GLL
Sponsored swimmer supporting friend in need
10 Apr 2024
Tash will swim the equivalent of the English Channel and back – 44 miles - at Palmer Park leisure centre / GLL / Tash Young
Over a period of three months, she will swim the equivalent of the English Channel and back – an astonishing 44 miles - at Palmer Park leisure centre. This adds up to a gruelling 2,704 lengths of the centre’s 25-metre pool.
Tash works for the NHS and is the mum of three young boys. She was blindsided to learn that her friend Sarah Brown had been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, aged just 37. Sarah is a much-loved reception teacher at Earley St Peter primary school.
Tash explains her reasons for undertaking the swim. “I am naturally a quiet person, not someone who likes to be front and centre, but this story got to me in a way that nothing else has before.
“Sarah is in her thirties, as am I, and we have children of the same age. With a roll of a die, her situation could be my situation. I am not in the position to donate lots of money personally however I can donate the small amount of time I do have to help raise money - money that will make a massive difference to Sarah and her family.
“It will go towards paying for complementary treatments, to go alongside the treatment Sarah is already receiving from our wonderful NHS. This could be the difference between her being here for months or years with her beautiful family.”
Sarah and her husband Joff have two young boys – Gabriel aged 7 and Arthur aged 5. She comments, “My family and I are completely overwhelmed by Tash’s incredible offer to raise money for my treatment. The challenge she has set herself is a massive one and I couldn’t be more humbled and grateful by her selflessness to put her body and mind through the mill for me.
“Metastatic cancer is a terrifying diagnosis, but our resolve has always been to do all we can to fight it. Fundraising events like Tash’s will raise money to help me explore all avenues of treatment, to hopefully keep me with my boys for as long as possible.”
Palmer Park leisure centre is managed by social enterprise GLL under the ‘Better’ brand. The centre’s General Manager, Rob Ansell, has offered Tash free membership to allow her to complete her challenge at no cost. He adds, “The team at Palmer Park are very sorry to hear about the sad and challenging circumstances that Sarah finds herself in and we greatly admire Tash’s gesture to help raise funds for her friend.
“Offering her the opportunity to use our pool is the least that we can do. We applaud the feat she will be undertaking and will be doing what we can to help raise awareness and assist with the fundraising effort.”
To find out more or make a donation, visit the Go Fund Me page
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GLL
Address:
Middlegate House,
The Royal Arsenal,
London,
SE18 6SX,
UK
Peter Bundey, chief executive
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Key personnel
Peter Bundey, chief executive
Key customers
Companies we work with include Annodata, Physical Company, Technogym, Change Please and Divine Chocolate.
Local Authorities and Agencies we work with include Greenwich Council, Belfast City Council, Cardiff City Council, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, LLDC, ukactive, SportsAid, SportsAid Wales, Mary Peters Trust, Swim England and Sport England.
Local Authorities and Agencies we work with include Greenwich Council, Belfast City Council, Cardiff City Council, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, LLDC, ukactive, SportsAid, SportsAid Wales, Mary Peters Trust, Swim England and Sport England.
Plans for the next 12 months
Our 2025 strategies and roadmap are already well-shaped and are based on our Five-Year Plan, which was launched last year.
With our positive performance and improved social outcomes during 2024, GLL is well placed to be at the forefront of societal, economic and environmental change.
The future will see us focusing on excellent customer service alongside our social enterprise values and growing our social impact, while effective partnerships with national health and wellbeing agencies will support individual lifestyle and wellness outcomes.
We’re delighted to see strong data indicators that show engagement with a diversity of age, demography and levels of activity across our facilities.
To foster community strength, health and mental wellbeing, we’ll balance the provision of health, fitness, team sport and social activities across a 50/50 split of male/female users, backed by an enhanced digital customer focus.
With our positive performance and improved social outcomes during 2024, GLL is well placed to be at the forefront of societal, economic and environmental change.
The future will see us focusing on excellent customer service alongside our social enterprise values and growing our social impact, while effective partnerships with national health and wellbeing agencies will support individual lifestyle and wellness outcomes.
We’re delighted to see strong data indicators that show engagement with a diversity of age, demography and levels of activity across our facilities.
To foster community strength, health and mental wellbeing, we’ll balance the provision of health, fitness, team sport and social activities across a 50/50 split of male/female users, backed by an enhanced digital customer focus.
Testimonial
“We made the decision to begin supporting the GLL Sport Foundation in 2015, and it is a pleasure to announce the renewal of our sponsorship with this incredible institution.
"Many bright and talented athletes throughout the United Kingdom are unable to chase their dreams of sporting glory due to lack of funding. We are passionate about helping GSF give equal opportunities to all young people and achieving their dreams of competing on the international stage.
"Our partnership enables both our brands to share the success of the UK’s most aspiring athletes who we are proud to have heard speak in such an inspirational way at our internal Sales Conferences and who have supported our marketing and brand development goals through representation and storytelling both in person and via social media”.
– Rod Tonna-Barthet, chief executive, Annodata
"Many bright and talented athletes throughout the United Kingdom are unable to chase their dreams of sporting glory due to lack of funding. We are passionate about helping GSF give equal opportunities to all young people and achieving their dreams of competing on the international stage.
"Our partnership enables both our brands to share the success of the UK’s most aspiring athletes who we are proud to have heard speak in such an inspirational way at our internal Sales Conferences and who have supported our marketing and brand development goals through representation and storytelling both in person and via social media”.
– Rod Tonna-Barthet, chief executive, Annodata
Testimonial
"I am so thankful for the support I have received from GLL Sport Foundation. My first individual medal ever is extremely special, and I would not be here if it wasn’t for the support, I have received from the GLL ‘family’.”
– Daryll Neita, Birmingham Commonwealth Games bronze and silver medalist, GLL Athlete
– Daryll Neita, Birmingham Commonwealth Games bronze and silver medalist, GLL Athlete
Testimonial
"This exciting new chapter cements the future of our six key sports venues and is part of our commitment to the many communities we serve far and wide. We have carefully structured this partnership with GLL to ensure that visitors will continue to enjoy the very best in these stellar, highly popular venues. We look forward to together creating exciting new programmes and activities that draw on the strengths of both organisations.
“These venues are part of the Lee Valley visitor experience and will continue to be so with some of the best facilities and most inspiring settings to be found anywhere. As part of the partnership Lee Valley Regional Park Authority will continue to invest to ensure that they go from strength to strength, delivering real impact for communities.”
– Shaun Dawson chief executive, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
“These venues are part of the Lee Valley visitor experience and will continue to be so with some of the best facilities and most inspiring settings to be found anywhere. As part of the partnership Lee Valley Regional Park Authority will continue to invest to ensure that they go from strength to strength, delivering real impact for communities.”
– Shaun Dawson chief executive, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
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