“Always say yes to every positive opportunity!”

We were delighted that we were able to inspire the students at New College Leicester, during a difficult year with our incredible Paralympian , Laura Sugar. This programme was kindly funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and we are very grateful for their support. One of the main aims of this fund is to support organisations to survive and continue, and ensure the communities around them continue to thrive and grow, even after a difficult year.

It was great that the students were able to watch back a recorded presentation and Q&A with Laura, and take away some key messages and words of advice from Laura that all of the students could relate to in one way or another.

Laura started her presentation with an explanation to the students about her disability and how it has never stopped her from trying anything in her life so far. Laura reiterated her key learning here that throughout her career, she always said yes to everything and has given it her best shot, even if it didn’t work out the way she intended in the end. This hard work and determination has paid off so far though, as Laura has now managed to compete at the top level in three different sports, and will be going to the Tokyo Olympics as a Paracanoe athlete.

Laura’s journey is incredibly inspiring for the students at New College Leicester to listen to, and it was certainly interesting for the students to hear that Laura was told as a child that she would not make it as a sportswoman. Due to Laura’s determination and resilience, which all of the students can learn from, Laura has been able to bounce back from setbacks, which showed the students that if you have a little bit of self-belief and self-confidence, you can go on to achieve big things.

As an athlete who has competed nationally for Wales in Hockey, and as an athlete competing at the Paralympic games in Athletics and now on her way to Tokyo as a Paracanoe competitor, Laura has some incredible and inspiring stories and experiences which she shared with the students at New College Leicester. During this part of her presentation, Laura highlighted the importance of having a strong support network around her, such as her coaches, friends and family and explained that this network is incredibly important and if the students can appreciate their network in their own lives, they can go on to do great things.

As the presentation went on, Laura spoke a lot to the students about the challenges that can come with competing at the top level, including dealing with nerves, the importance of not over-training and how to bounce back from setbacks and challenges which you may face. Laura emphasised that during these challenging times, it is so important to remain positive and optimistic as you are then much stronger, physically and mentally.

As Laura has transitioned from different sports, the students watching this pre-recorded video back were able to really relate to Laura’s story, as it highlights that throughout life, you have to make big decisions and sacrifices, just like when Laura chose to change sports. Sometimes, these big decisions can pay off but other times you may regret them. Laura explained how her decision paid off and she is now extremely happy performing in para-canoe as ultimately happiness is one of the main drivers behind Laura’s elite success.

The students at New College Leicester, can take away lots of vital messages from Laura’s presentation and relate it to their own individual lives, whether this is related to sport, a hobby or the upcoming exam season.

Laura now has the incredible experience of mentoring two mentees from New College Leicester as part of this lottery funding and during these mentoring calls, Laura will discuss topics such as resilience, confidence, self-awareness, how to deal with pressure, and also sport specific topics dependant on the mentee’s goals and targets. We are so excited to see this mentoring journey grow and develop! 

We were so pleased to be able to inspire the students at New College Leicester through this wonderful Silver Programme and we know that Laura’s visit in September, will be just as impactful.

Thank you to the staff at New College Leicester, for helping us to organise this programme and to make it all happen. We look forward to meeting you all in the next academic year for a visit from the one and only, Laura Sugar!

At The Mintridge Foundation, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to hear the stories and experience the power of our exceptional Mintridge role models have on the young people we work with. We know that having a role model who can support you, influence you and offer you advice that can help you on your own journey and pathway, can be extremely beneficial.

If you are interested in a Programme with Laura Sugar or any of our other Mintridge Ambassadors, or you are interested in a Virtual or Physical Programme with one of our team of inspirational Ambassadors, then please get in touch via the Mintridge website at www.mintridgefoundation.org.uk or with Katie at katie@mintridge.org.uk.

The Mintridge Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to enhancing life skills in young people through sport. We provide a support network for young people by harnessing the power of positive sporting role models. The Mintridge Foundation assists young people of all ages, abilities, and physical capabilities to develop confidence and resilience, and creates awareness of the importance of mental and physical wellbeing through sport.

Our team of Ambassadors - Olympians, Paralympians and other professional sports stars from over 20 sports, both team and individual - work with young people in schools, clubs and academies across the UK. Starting with visits including assemblies, coaching clinics and classroom sessions tailored to each organisation’s requirements, our ambassadors can then provide one- on- one remote mentoring in a safeguarded environment, delivered via technology such as FitSwarm and Playwaze to build a lasting legacy for individuals.

The Mintridge Foundation’s successes demonstrate the incredible power of sport; from a mentee’s selection to represent Great Britain in their chosen field to enabling disabled children to find confidence and happiness just through participation. Understanding life after sport, we also support our Ambassadors in their transition from active sport to the next stage of their careers.

To find out more about the Mintridge Foundation, please contact Alex Wallace.

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