As the Guernsey Island Games team continues its preparations ahead of the 2019 Gibraltar Games, Generali Worldwide’s support continues, with two sports, judo and squash, set to benefit from the company’s bursary scheme.
As of 2018, the bursaries will be awarded to each sport on a rotational basis, ensuring that every sport will benefit from funding twice during Generali Worldwide’s 10-year sponsorship.
The company’s sponsorship of the Guernsey Island Games team started in 2011 and 18 individual sports have used the bursary scheme in different ways to support grassroots and high-performance sport in Guernsey.
The company has committed to sponsoring the association until 2021, when Guernsey will once again host the Island Games.
The bursary scheme helps the Guernsey Island Games Association to secure the future of its 19 member sports. Previously, teams have used the additional funding in a variety of ways, from purchasing much-needed kit, to funding try-out sessions for youngsters and paying for travel expenses to attend UK competitions.
Giorgio Daboni, Chief Executive Officer, Generali Worldwide in Guernsey, states: “It is always a pleasure to see the bursaries being used to help sports thrive in Guernsey and support the island’s upcoming sportsmen and women.
“The Island Games play an important role in helping to sustain and grow sport participation in the community by providing a source of inspiration for those wanting to get involved”.
Gibraltar’s games will see judo competing for the first time in the last four games. The Guernsey Judo team will use the bursary to bring two coaches over from the UK in August to assist with the team’s training.
The coaches, Chris and Carol Doherty, who are a 6th Dan black belt and 5th Dan black belt respectively, have a wealth of knowledge to share. Chris is currently the head coach for Oxford University Judo and recently came second at the European Veterans competition.
Edward Mann, Judo Team Manager, comments: “The team is delighted to have received this funding to help in our preparation for the Island Games. To be able to bring these UK coaches over is amazing and will allow our team to learn from some of the best in the sport.
“The Guernsey Squash and Racketball Association will also use the bursary to bring a coach over from the UK in September and a workshop for the whole club and a focused session for the potential Island Game team players are also planned.
“We are so grateful to have received the bursary this year. The coaching sessions will benefit all of our players and, although we haven’t yet picked our team for Gibraltar, there will be a session for the budding team players.”
Brian Allen, Chairman of the Guernsey Island Games, has voiced his admiration of the continued support Generali Worldwide has given to sport over the past years: “Going forward from this year we will be awarding the bursaries on a rotational basis. Not only is this the fairest way to decide who receives it but it also means that all sports will have benefitted twice over the years.
“A big ‘thank you’ needs to go to Generali Worldwide as they not only assist in getting the team to the Games but they also help with the future development of the local sports.”
