Aasha Kimpton is our £2000 award winner
A rising star gymnast is one leap closer to her Olympic dream, after landing SportIslington’s largest ever grant.
Aasha Kimpton and Councillor Ruth Polling
Aasha Kimpton, from Holloway, has bagged £2,000 to help cover training expenses. After receiving the grant, ten-year-old Aasha revealed how she has been inspired by Beth Tweddle, the 24-year-old gymnast who is preparing to compete for Great Britain in the 2012 Olympics. Aasha said: “I watched Beth win a gold medal at the World Championships and I would so love to be like her.” Aasha’s mum, Nicole Kimpton, said: “I cannot thank Sport Islington and the Joanna Brown Trust enough for awarding Aasha this grant as it is a struggle meeting her training and competition expenses. Aasha trains five days a week and travels 10 miles to each session as well as competing regularly at events around the country. These expenses coupled with equipment costs soon add up.” Cllr Ruth Polling, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Leisure, said: “We want to nurture sports talent in Islington, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving than Aasha. She’s been working so hard and we’ll be cheering her on all the way.” The Joanna Brown Trust was established in memory of 30-year-old Joanna Brown, a talented sports enthusiast who died in a trekking accident in Siberia in August 2008. Helen Hagan, a trustee of The Joanna Brown Trust and a Highbury resident, said: “We are delighted to be working with SportIslington to make this award to Aasha. Our aim is to encourage and enhance involvement in sport at all levels and Aasha’s application was chosen because we believe that the award will make a real difference to her chance to develop her talent further and realise her dreams.”