Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and Lady Mayoress Mrs Nina Schrinner will be awarding more than $50,000 to 15 Brisbane athlete with an intellectual impairment who have made the Australian team to compete at the 2019 INAS Global Games.
The grants will be awarded under the NEXT GEN ATHLETE program and each athlete will receive $3500 to cover their registration fee for the Games, equipment and coaching costs.
The Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust (LMCT) is helping Brisbane athletes realise their sporting dreams and has given Sport Inclusion Australia $150,000 over five years for the NEXT GEN ATHLETE program.
“This program provides grants and scholarships to Brisbane athletes to participate in their chosen sport and compete in the 2019 INAS Global Games. The program was the first of its kind in Australia,” Cr Schrinner said.
“The 2019 INAS Global Games is a top level sporting competition for athletes with an intellectual impairment being held in Brisbane. I would like to congratulate the athletes who will be representing their country at the Games.
“Brisbane is very proud of these athletes and we will be right behind them as they compete at the elite level in their chosen sport.”
The INAS Global Games is the world’s largest sporting event for athletes with an intellectual impairment with over 1000 elite athletes competing across nine sports.
Sport Inclusion Australia Chief Executive Officer Robyn Smith said Sport Inclusion Australia appreciated the foresight of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust in providing support to the NEXT GEN ATHLETE program.
“This program has been established to identify young aspiring athletes with an intellectual impairment within Brisbane and assist them to realise their dreams to compete at the highest possible sporting level – regional, state, national or international level”, Ms Smith said.
LMCT Chair Lady Mayoress Nina Schrinner, said the Trust provided grants to a range of charities providing vital services to the most marginalised and vulnerable members of the Brisbane community.
For more than 50 years the LMCT has supported charities that assist people suffering from disability, homelessness, mental illness, drug or alcohol addiction, trauma, abuse or neglect. Importantly, every dollar donated is re-given to Brisbane charities.
Sport Inclusion Australia is an organisation established in 1986 to assist primarily those with an intellectual impairment, into the mainstream community using sport and recreational activity as the medium.
The 2019 INAS Global Games will be held in Brisbane from 12-19 October.