Pictured: (L-R) (Back row): Eoin Burrows; GLL Sport Foundation Ambassador and Olympic Boxer Aidan Walsh; Lara King; Marjan Abdelfattah; Peter Bundey. Front row: GLL Sport Foundation Ambassador and former Irish international hockey player Shirley McCay; Isabella Connor; Darcey Newell; Jake Cochrane
GLL, the charitable social enterprise that operates Belfast’s 16 leisure centres under its Better brand in partnership with Belfast City Council, has announced its largest ever GLL Sport Foundation intake in Belfast, with 210 athletes across 34 sports receiving support through the 2026 programme.
The 2026 awards represent an investment of over £155,000 into local sporting talent, reinforcing Belfast’s position as the largest area supported by the GLL Sport Foundation across the UK, and supporting Belfast’s status as a 2026 European City of Sport through the funding of grassroot and elite sports. The GLL Sport Foundation is the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme.
Since the foundation launched in Belfast in 2015, more than 1,450 local athletes have benefited from support, with total investment now exceeding £870,000. The programme continues to provide vital financial assistance, access to training facilities, and athlete support services to competitors across a broad range of Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth and grassroots sports.
The 2026 cohort includes athletes from 34 different sporting disciplines, reflecting the breadth and diversity of sporting talent across the city. The programme continues to support athletes at every stage of their development, from emerging junior competitors to established international performers.
Previous recipients of support through the GLL Sport Foundation in Belfast include former Ireland hockey international Shirley McCay, and Olympians and Commonwealth Games boxing medallists Michaela and Aidan Walsh, all three of whom have become ambassadors for the Foundation. This year, they are joined by the Foundation’s newest ambassador, Olympic bronze medallist and World Championship silver medallist Philip Doyle, who also spoke at the event as a panellist in a discussion on elite sport.
The awards ceremony brought together athletes, coaches, sporting ambassadors, civic leaders and representatives from Belfast City Council, GLL and partner organisations to celebrate the achievements of local athletes and recognise the continued growth of the programme.
Gareth Kirk, Senior Regional Director, GLL, said:
“Each year the GLL Sport Foundation continues to grow from strength to strength in Belfast, and to reach 210 supported athletes in 2026 is a significant milestone for the programme. To reach this level in the year that Belfast serves as a European City of Sport is especially fitting as we seek to nurture the city’s next generation of elite athletes.
“As a charitable social enterprise, we are committed to creating opportunities for local people and investing back into the communities we serve. Through the GLL Sport Foundation, we are helping talented athletes across Belfast access the facilities, funding and support they need to pursue their sporting ambitions.
“The breadth of sports represented in this year’s programme highlights the incredible depth of talent that exists throughout the city. We are proud that Belfast continues to lead the way as the largest GLL Sport Foundation programme anywhere in the UK.”
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly, said:
“Belfast City Council is proud to continue its partnership with GLL in supporting local athletes through the GLL Sport Foundation – and it’s particularly special this year, given Belfast’s title as a European City of Sport.
“Supporting elite athletes is of the programme’s main goals and this scheme supports this by making a meaningful difference to athletes across Belfast and helping to reduce the financial barriers associated with training and competition. The continued growth of the foundation demonstrates both the strength of sport in Belfast and the positive impact that sustained investment in community sport and leisure can achieve.”
Shirley McCay, former Ireland international hockey player and GLL Sport Foundation ambassador, said:
“The support provided through the GLL Sport Foundation can make a huge difference in an athlete’s journey, particularly for young athletes balancing training, education and competition.
“To see a record 210 athletes supported this year is fantastic and shows how important the programme has become within Belfast’s sporting community. The future is incredibly bright for sport in this city.”