The Golf Foundation is delighted to receive grant funding of £60,000 from The Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust, to be provided over the next three years.
The Trust, set up in the memory of one of Britain’s finest amateur golfers, has acknowledged the Golf Foundation’s continued work to bring golf to children from all backgrounds and abilities. The Foundation’s ‘HSBC Golf Roots’ strategy in schools, communities and clubs is underpinned throughout with ‘Skills for life’ learning; providing not just technical skills to young people but also helping to instil attributes such as perseverance, team-work, concentration, honesty and sportsmanship.
A sum of £10,000 per year will be donated to developing this supportive approach through the ‘HSBC Golf Roots Plus’ initiative. This grant scheme provides funding for projects where the development of life skills is the primary purpose using golf as the catalyst. Local delivery partners include youth services, local authorities, police services or partnerships of schools.
A further £10,000 per year will go to supporting the golf charity’s infrastructure as it works to maintain and expand its successful golf programmes at school and club level.
Gerald Micklem CBE was a leading amateur player in the post-war period, twice winning the English Amateur Championship and representing GB & Ireland in Walker Cups. A friend of Sir Henry Cotton, one of the Foundation’s founders, Micklem proved hugely supportive of Cotton’s desire to give opportunities to young golfers as the Golf Foundation began life in the early 1950’s.
Gerald Micklem’s niece, Mrs Susan Shone, represents the Board of Trustees. Susan said: “The Trustees are delighted to support an organisation that was so close to Gerald’s heart in this way. It is great to be involved with the Golf Foundation again and I’m sure Gerald would be impressed with the current work of the Foundation team. We hope this grant can make a difference for many young people.”
Mike Round, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said: “We are hugely grateful to the Trustees of The Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust for choosing to support our work. While the Golf Foundation enjoys significant support from organisations within the golf industry, we still rely a great deal on the generosity of golfers, golf clubs and those groups who support children in sport, to ensure we can survive and thrive as a golf charity.
“Together with Sir Henry Cotton, Gerald Micklem was a vital supporter of the Golf Foundation in the early years. It is a wonderful thing that the Trust which carries his name is backing this charity again. We will spend this money wisely to help as many young boys and girls as possible to enjoy their time in golf.”
The Gerald Micklem Charitable Trust is a grant-making trust and a registered charity, established when Gerald Micklem passed away in 1988.
HSBC Golf Roots and the Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org