SportsAid chief executive Tim Lawler felt honoured by the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during the running of the Team England Futures programme at the Commonwealth Games. 

SportsAid is a charity that funds over a thousand young athletes every year to help them through their development, allowing them to afford new equipment and expenses. 

With the help of Sport England, they have been running Team England Futures, with the Duchess, who is SportsAid’s patron, visiting the University of Birmingham’s Peter Scott House, along with the Duke and Princess Charlotte. 

The Duchess demonstrated her commitment to the initiative by helping out with a series of interactive workshops focused on mentoring, mental readiness, nutrition and sleep management. 

Lawler said: “It was a privilege to have SportsAid’s patron, the Duchess of Cambridge, and the Duke of Cambridge join us, and Princess Charlotte as well. It was a wonderful spotlight for us. 

“Our work is constant every year, whether there’s a Games at home, a Games away or no Games at all. 

“We really welcomed the extra spotlight that her patronage brings and when she feels so comfortable to bring other members of her family along to an engagement like this, it’s very exciting but it’s a super privilege and really worthwhile.” 

Team England Futures has allowed over 800 athletes and aspiring support staff to attend the 2022 Commonwealth Games and gain their first experience of such an event. 

As well as having a tour around the athletes’ village and witnessing a variety of sports, they were also given a behind-the-scenes look at some of the other facilities made available to competitors. 

Lawler believes it will play a vital role in readying those involved for when they compete at a Games for real, saying: “It’s very significant to build upon previous work by the British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association in trying to take small cohorts of athletes close to a major Games. 

“Home Games don’t come around very often. At the Gold Coast four years ago, there was an ambition that was born to see what we could do around Birmingham, at a home Games. 

“Team England Futures expanded to create an opportunity that SportsAid is responsible for now, with the backing of Sport England and Commonwealth Games England, to ensure this experience was available to as many as possible. 

“The Futures is very inclusive, it’s very welcoming, you have good fun and there are no strings attached – you can take from it what you will - but we genuinely hope the athletes take great advantage from it.  

“We may not get that answer today, but when they reflect on the experience they’ve had, I think it could make all the difference. 

“If they share that with their training partners or their professional colleagues, then there’s a bit of a living legacy that comes from the programme that’s worthwhile.” 

Commonwealth Games England has appointed SportsAid to lead on the development, management and operational delivery of Team England Futures at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. You can find out more about the programme by visiting https://www.sportsaid.org.uk/partnerships/team-england-futures/.