THE Gazette & Herald has joined forces with Devizes-based charity Bag4Sport Foundation to boost the blossoming sporting careers of more youngsters in Wiltshire.

We need readers’ help to identify youngsters who need a financial boost to make the most of their sporting talent.

Last year grants of £500 were given to three winners and £100 to three runners-up.

County U16 team golfer Thomas Edwards received the Devizes edition top prize, with Team Bath middle-distance runner Gemma Shepherd the Chippenham winner.

Tennis player Harriet Eyles was the Marlborough winner, while athlete Emily Hutchinson (Devizes), Great Britain U19 softball player Sam Grafton (Marlborough) and paracyclist Lauren Booth (Chippenham) were the three runners-up.

We will do the same again for 2014 and are on the hunt for more emerging talent to receive help.

The winners are likely to be youngsters who have already started to make their mark on their chosen sport but could do with a financial boost to help with coaching, kit or travelling costs to competitions.

You can nominate your own child, a pupil you teach or a youngster you coach but we will need to know why they need help and their achievements to date.

Any youngster up to the age of 16 can be nominated but they must not already be receiving a grant from the Lottery or their sporting body.

We will pick one winner and one runner-up from each of the three edition areas of the Gazette & Herald – Devizes, Marlborough and North Wiltshire.

The Bag4Sport Foundation raises money to help grass roots sport and talented individuals to reach their potential.

Andy Trusler, director of Bag4Sport, said: “Last year we were delighted to be able to make a real difference to six young sports stars.

“All of them had stories to tell of how their families had made sacrifices of time and money to make their sporting dreams a reality.

“They have kept in touch with us to let us know what they have spent their grants on and how they have really helped them.

“Now we want to find six more young people who are equally deserving and we need readers of the Gazette & Herald to help us.”

More information about the initiative is available on the Bag4Sport website bag4sport.co.uk or our website gazetteandherald.co.uk.

Look out for the nomination form in your Gazette & Herald each week or send an email to foundation@bag4sport.co.uk with your nominations and reasons why. The closing date for nominations is July 31, 2014.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The nominated person must live in the Gazette & Herald circulation area and go to a local school or belong to a club in Wiltshire. They must be aged 16 or under and receive no Lottery funding or grant from their sporting body. Gazette & Herald readers will be asked to vote for a winner from each of the Gazette & Herald’s three edition areas – Devizes, North Wiltshire & Marlborough & Pewsey. The three who receive the most votes will receive a grant of £500 each and the runners-up £100 each.