Olympic history in the making: £50,000 raised for grassroots athletics clubs

From the Hammer throw and Pommel horse to the Stade de France, these local clubs and causes have given vital support and encouragement to young people, as some have been given the confidence to trek onward into Team GB.

These organisations, like many charities and causes across the UK, rely heavily on fundraising to deliver their services to their local communities. Leading cashback fundraising platform easyfundraising has helped local athletics clubs raise over £50,000 so far, which will only continue to rise during the summer games.

Blackheath and Bromley Harriers boast Olympic hopeful

The South London athletics club boasts one of Team GB’s brightest hopes for gold this summer in Dina Asher-Smith. The fastest British woman on record is entered into multiple events at the Paris games, the 100M, the 200M and gruelling Heptathlon.

Having previously secured bronze in the Tokyo and Rio games, Asher-Smith, and the rest of Team GB, are hoping she creates her 2019 World Championship success and brings home gold to London.

Dina joined the Bees Academy at Blackheath at the age of eight, where upon being asked what she wanted to be when she was older, Asher-Smith replied, “an Olympian.” Dina showed much promise as a young professional, winning gold medals in the European and World Junior Championships.

Under the coaching of Edrick Floreal, Dina remains a member of the Blackheath and Bromley Harriers. With an impressive 154-year-old history, the club even carried on running during the war and has reached a membership of over 800 strong.

As a part of the club’s mission to drive young people to accomplish the impossible, Blackheath and Bromley have jumped in with both feet in this new trend of microdonations. The club has raised over £1,936.83 through members and their wider community shopping online via easyfundraising, with all funds going towards the developments of their young athletes, and hopefully moulding the Team GB of tomorrow.

Easyfundraising’s CEO, James Moir, says “It remains truly inspiring to see the impact these causes can have in their communities and on the lives of young people, as well as the success of Team GB on the biggest stage. Giving these clubs access to free extra funding helps them continue to lay the foundations for the successful and active future.”

 As the Paris games opened last week, the Team GB of today were shaped and moulded by their local sports clubs of their youth. With this new trend of microdonations and platforms like easyfundraising, supporting local causes has never been so important, especially when it can help foster the next generation of great Olympians.  

Bradshaw’s bright start with the Blackburn harriers

Holly Bradshaw, the Pole vault specialist, who originally turned pro in 2010 owes much of her journey to the Blackburn Harriers Athletic Club as her sporting home.

Bradshaw first took to gymnastics at the age of six, which then later grew into an interest to try pole vaulting for the first time at 17.

Since then, Bradshaw has consistently amongst the world’s top rankings, scoring an impressive bronze medal at the last games in Tokyo. Under the coaching of Kate Rooney and the range of facilities at the athletics club, we remain hopeful she can recreate the success of 2021.

The Preston-born star remains the British record holder for both indoors and outdoors women pole vaulting, enduring as a role model to young people up and down the country.

Today the Blackburn harriers continue to train the next generation of Team GB, expanding their facilities like the Witton Park arena that opened in 2015. Fundraising with initiatives like easyfundraising ensures clubs like this have a sustainable future in their local communities.  

Using easyfundraising is simple: just visit their website, find the sports club that you'd like to support (or register yours if not on there yet) and then each time you make a purchase with any retailer from the 8,000 listed on the platform, you’ll collect a free donation for the club. With the whole club community doing the same, those donations will really help you achieve a fundraising PB!