Up-and-coming athletes in Cumberland are being given the chance to take their sporting careers to the next level with Everyone Active's Sporting Champions scheme.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the renowned programme empowers aspiring athletes to achieve their full potential through access to state-of-the-art training facilities and invaluable mentoring support from Olympians and Paralympians.
Since its inception, Sporting Champions has elevated the careers of more than 6,000 athletes by providing them with free access to Everyone Active's 250 leisure centres nationwide.
After Everyone Active became the new operator of Cumberland Council’s West Cumbrian leisure facilities on April 1, the scheme now includes Workington Leisure Centre, Cockermouth Leisure Centre, Whitehaven Sports Centre, Copeland Swimming Pool, Cleator Moor Activity Centre (currently under redevelopment works), Keswick Leisure Centre and Maryport Activity Centre, run in partnership with Cumberland Council. A leisure centre in Millom is under construction.
New for 2026, athletes over 16 will receive access to the You+ membership, designed to promote holistic health and wellbeing and centred around individual needs.
Olympic silver medallist and former world record holder Colin Jackson will return as the scheme’s Ambassador for 2026-27.
He will work alongside a line-up of inspiring Elite athletes who have starred on the Olympic and Paralympic stage – HarryAikines-Aryeetey, Maisie Summers-Newton, Emma Finucane, Lauren Steadman and Richard Kilty – in mentoring sessions throughout the year. These sporting heroes will offer wisdom, guidance and expert advice, guiding promising athletes through every milestone of their sporting journeys.
Colin said: "With the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow a matter of weeks away, I am more excited than ever to support athletes of all ages and from all disciplines to achieve their dreams. I'm passionate about nurturing young talent and the Sporting Champions scheme goes above and beyond in this mission.”
Over the past nine years, the Sporting Champions scheme has poured more than £2million into young athletes, proving its commitment to grassroots sporting excellence.
Tom Rice, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said: “We are delighted to support up-and-coming athletes from Cumberland on their journey to success.
“As a leisure provider working in partnership with Cumberland Council, we feel it is important to cater for all sections of the community to ensure all budding athletes have access to the best facilities and opportunities.
“The Sporting Champions scheme has supported thousands of athletes over the years, and we are proud to expand this into the Cumberland area in 2026. We hope to make a real difference to our athletes’ success.”
Councillor Anne Quilter, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, added: “Supporting the health and wellbeing of local residents and providing better access to opportunities to be active is at the heart of our partnership with Everyone Active.
“On the build up to the Commonwealth Games and next year’s Tour De France - which will include two stages hosted in Cumberland - we hope the international events inspire budding athletes and cyclists of all abilities to get active and use our facilities.”
Applications for the scheme run from Monday, June 1 until Monday, June 15. You can apply via the Everyone Active Champions website. Keep up with the latest Sporting Champions news by following @easportingchamps on Instagram.