As a proud co-sponsor of the Ipswich Sporting Lunch Club, Pound Gates joined SportsAid Eastern and guests at Venue 16 today, to celebrate the Club’s 10th anniversary, making a decade of supporting Suffolk’s most promising young athletes.
The autumn lunch brought together local businesses, sponsors and supporters for an afternoon of inspiration and community spirit.
The event recognised the achievements of SportsAid grant recipients Isaac Kingham (Table Tennis) and Nicola Taylor (Boccia), both rising stars in their sports. Isaac, 17, has represented England around the world and now trains full-time with the GB elite squad in Sheffield. Nicola, who discovered Boccia just two years ago, has already medalled at national level and founded Suffolk Boccia to make the sport more accessible locally.
Guest speaker Maggie Alphonsi MBE shared her remarkable story from North London council estate to Rugby World Cup winner and trailblazing sports broadcaster. Her message of resilience, goal-setting and embracing discomfort resonated deeply, particularly as she credited a £500 SportsAid grant as the spark that set her own career in motion.
To close the celebration, organisers and sponsors presented a £15,000 cheque to SportsAid Eastern, reflecting another successful year of fundraising. A fitting milestone for a club, over ten years, has helped over 90 young athletes take the next steps towards achieving their dreams.
