10 year old Ira Perrier has gained selection to the Sussex under13 basketball squad.

Ira still in year 5 at his school, while most of his Sussex team mates are in year 8, he is the smallest member of the squad making his achievement all the more remarkable.

Playing for his team last year, Ira helped them to win their league without losing a game. They also went on to become the cup winners.

Karen, Ira’s delighted mum told us that without the grant from the Foundation, it would have been very difficult for him to reach this level.

Our grant to Ira gave him the opportunity to purchase the correct kit and equipment he needed and assisted with some of  his travel expenses.

Congratulations to Ira and all the Sussex squad.

In 2004, The Dickie Bird Foundation gave one of its first grants to a young man, Andrew Yoxall, who wanted to be a jockey.

 

Andrew’s mum had applied to the Foundation for assistance with the cost of clothing and equipment for Andrew to pursue his dream of becoming a jockey. Soon afterwards Andrew became an apprentice at the De-Hann Stables in Newmarket.

We all at The Dickie Bird Foundation are proud to announce that Andrew, now 18, has gained his first senior win in his racing career on Tuesday, June 2nd. He rode a 9-1 winner Kingsmite at the Southwell meeting, riding for S Bowring.

The Foundation always tries to keep in touch with all its Grantees, and has kept in regular contact with both Andrew and his mum Sharon to follow his progress. The Foundation is delighted to announce the news of his first success. We trust this is the first of many in Andrew’s career.

 All the following have been offered grants from the Foundation.

Name                  Age      Area                                      Sport                  Grant

Lisle                   17         Weston-Super-Mare          Cricket                £870

Katie                   12         Plymouth                              Taekwondo       £350

Naomi                15         Hove                                      Football             £389  

Bethan               11         Berkshire                              Roller Skating  £495

Libby                  15         Tiverton                                  Swimming        £483

Why not find out if your child qualifies for a grant, see if we can help.

If you would like to support the Foundation, to enable us to offer more grants to young children. Check out how you can make a donation, or visit our web site shop. Dickie will  sign or dedicate your purcahse to whom you choose.

You will see from our latest grants that it is a cross section of sports the grants are offered to.

 Dear Sirs

Firstly I would like to extend our gratitude to the foundation for the grant recieved for our daughter Caitlin Meek.

This has helped so much to enable her to persue her badminton education/training with Badminton Scotland.

We will keep you informed of her progress.

Thank you and many regards

Stephen & Wendy Meek

Hi Les,

I am a competitive lifesaver and last year was awarded a grant from the Dickie Bird Foundation. I have recently been selected to represent Scotland at the Lifesaving Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada this June. I am now busy training and preparing for this competition and once again thank the Dickie Bird Foundation for their support during my success.

Many thanks,

Ben

 At the last meeting of The Dickie Bird Foundation Trustees the following grants were offered

Caitlin                       10            Lanark                             Badminton                       £350

Sarah                        15            Leigh                               Rugby Union                    £248

Ashleigh                   14           York                                  Rugby Union                    £489

David                        12           Banbury                           Roller Hockey                   £400

Michael                    13            St.Austall                        Athletics                             £400

Isaac                        13            Cornwall                         Thai Kickboxing                £320

Jacob                        9              Somerset                       Trampolining                    £175

We hope that these latest grant offers will encourage others to apply. The Foundation offer grants to individuals in all recognised sports.

The Foundation are gateful to all our supporters,  through donations made , attending events or purchase from our web shop.Which ever way they contribute, it is pleasing to be able to  show our them how their donation is used.

Hi Les

            Just to let you know Luke as just returned back from the Dutch Open in Eindhoven winning Bronze in the junior +84Kg category, this is the first championship that he as competed in using the new electronic pads system.  His first match was against Serbia National Team winning 6-1, his second match against AAU USA Team (World Champion) winning 1-0, getting to the semi finals his third match against Kazakhstan National Team which was a draw and it was the referee’s decision which was given to Kazakhstan.  

Regards

Shirley Hudson 

hi les its lisa nicole dunnings mum from barnsley. just thought you would like to know that nicole entered a competition on 2 march wearing the goods purchased from the grant recieved and she came first winning gold which was a good achievement. i would just like to say a real big thank you to all for giving my daughter the monies needed thank you.

THE Dickie Bird Foundation has just reached another milestone as it prepares to mark its fifth birthday.

The latest nine grants to be awarded by The Dickie Bird Foundation now mean that more than £17,000 has been been handed out in the past 12 months – a record for he charity.

Some 43 young people have received grants in the past year from the charity that was set up by the legendary cricket umpire.

The latest recipients are:-

Sean Devey, 16, ice hockey, Oxford, £500.

Nichole Dunning, 12, gymnastics, Barnsley, £400.

Daniel Lessiter, 15, motocross, Spennymoor, £850.

Karina Wilson, 7, figure skating, Moray, £317.

Adel Wilson, 11, figure skating, Moray, £487.

Tadhg Allen, 7, football, Livingstone, £162.

Yamin Mohammd, 15, field hockey, Clapham, £220.

Najml Hoque, 17, field hockey, London, £200.

Foyzur Rahman, 17, field hockey, Tower Hamlets, £200.

“Of all the things that I achieved in my career, it is the opportunity to give something back through my Foundation that gives me my greatest pleasure,” said Dickie.

“I am delighted to announce these grants and looking forward to hearing about the progress of the recipients. I wish it was more but the Foundation is a charity run by volunteers and we raise the money ourselves through a lot of hard work. I cannot thank my team of trustees enough for their commitment.

“I can remember all too vividly from my own humble beginnings just how difficult it was to afford things like football boots and cricket boots – they were considered luxuries.

“I was lucky. I was given the chance to play cricket for Yorkshire and then become an umpire. But many of today’s generation of youngsters are, I believe, missing out on sporting opportunities because they cannot afford the costs.”

Revered across the world from Barnsley to Brisbane and Barbados to Bangalore, Harold Dennis ‘Dickie’ Bird umpired 66 Test matches, 92 one-day internationals and three World Cup finals. He retired from the game 10 years ago.

The patrons of The Dickie Bird Foundation, set up in 2004, are Sir Bobby Robson, Sir Michael Parkinson, Sir Tim Rice, Sir John Major, Sir Rodney Walker and Harry Gration.

Further details about the Foundation can be obtained by logging on at www.thedickiebirdfoundation.co.uk or by calling Les Smith on 01924 430593. 

The 20th Junior British Open Championship  was held at the Nottingham Ice Arena on the 28th and 29th December  Tristton competed in the Junior C catagory which is age 13-15 the competition is held over 2 distances with heats semis and finals in 500mtrs and 1000 meters with a 1500 metre superfinal for the top 6 skaters as you can imagine we were absolutey delighted for tristton to have won. This year the competition attracted skaters from as far Hong kong, thank you once again for your support of Tristton Adams.

Regards Shelley Adams