Coaches and leaders within swimming and its disciplines can access funding to enhance their skills to benefit sport in their community.

Introduced last year, the Nancy Ovens bursary (supported by SkillsActive), will be given to an individual or individuals who work with children and young people in the active leisure and learning sector. It will allow them to undertake studies, gain additional work experience or through the running of activities outside of their local community.

Worth up to £2,500, the bursary can also be used for experience and training within the European Union, and applicants are given the opportunity to decide which experiences and training is most beneficial for their needs in order to better support grassroots sport in their local community.

Nova Centurion swimming coach Glenn Smith was a recipient of a bursary in 2006, which enabled him to pay for a stand-in coach while he undertook personal development.

Smith, a level four swim coach and development officer at Mansfield City Council, attended a program of coaching sessions with the British Swimming Head Coach Ian Turner at Loughborough University.

Working with Turner alongside some of Britain’s top international swimmers would have given Smith an invaluable experience, and access to knowledge that he would not have been able to benefit from normally.

More information on the bursary can be found at www.skillsactive.com/nancyovensbursary.

Applications must be received by Tuesday 29 May.

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For more information contact ASA Media Assistant Stephanie West on 01509 632236, or e-mail stephanie.west@swimming.org

The Amateur Swimming Association is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,600 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.

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