A group of young people from Leicester have been awarded an award by a local charity to help them achieve sport, creative arts, music, community and BusinessThe £500 Inspire grant was handed out by the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust, which was established in 2012 to commemorate Leicester teenager Joe Humphries.
Joe collapsed and died while jogging near his home in Rosley. He had Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS), a group of fatal heart conditions that can lead to sudden cardiac death in young people.
Since his untimely death, the Joe Humphries charity has been set up in his memory, providing free CPR training, helping to fund community defibrillators and events aimed at better understanding SADS, and running the Inspire Awards micro-gift payment plan.
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Among this year’s winners are eight talented young people from Leicester and Leicestershire.
Meet the Inspiration Award Winners
Bethany Aldridge, 21, from Kegworth, recently won a place on the British dragon boat team for this summer’s World Dragon Boat Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. The team is represented by paddlers from all over the country.
She said: “I can’t wait to continue my GB journey and I am very grateful to the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust for my incentive award of £300. This will have a huge impact on training and race costs including equipment, accommodation and travel.
“I will represent my club (Tamron), my family and my friends and want to make them very proud.”
Eva-Joan Leavis, 13, from Colville, is a talented multi-disciplinary cyclist who has been with the Leicester Forest Rockets Cycling Club since the age of five. She now aims to further improve her riding in 2023 by competing in national competitions and youth events.
Eva has been riding at the Derby Velodrome and despite being one of the youngest riders in her race, she managed to finish on the podium in both riding styles. A £400 Inspire grant will allow her to compete at national level with appropriate equipment and accommodation.
Katie Holt, 13, from Colville, is one of Leicestershire’s rookies. Her dedication and hard work have already earned her an invitation to the Performance Centers Gold Program.
Receiving the £250 Inspire grant means the opportunities Katie has had in training this season will continue and help achieve her goal of being the best of the best. Most recently, she was named to the England Under-15 team for the Eight Nations Championships in Germany in February 2023.
Rowan McCarthy, 17, from Barlestone, is in Year Two of the BTEC Performing Arts and Contemporary Circus at Circomedia in Bristol. He also hopes to run more local courses after his studies, having previously run summer circus classes in Desford, where children learn the basics of circus skills and boost their self-esteem through new physical and mental challenges.
He said: “I am delighted to have received the £350 Inspire Bursary as it means I can continue my studies and complete my qualification in Performing Arts and Contemporary Circus.”
Other second- and third-round young people who benefited from incentive grants include Chloe Shore, Ryan Elston, Laura Teale and Harriet Warne. Simon Taylor, Head of JHMT Inspire, said: “JHMT is once again rewarding small initiatives with Inspire and is delighted to be helping more inspiring young people from cities and counties achieve their goals.”
“The level of dedication and hard work from everyone is amazing and we are delighted that the grants are making such a big difference as part of Joe’s legacy and we are delighted to receive them.”
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