TOM, 13, WINS FIRM’S BACKING IN WORLD CHAMPION BID!

A 13-year-old Camborne boy has won the backing of a local property developer in his bid to qualify for the 2010 World Lifesaving Championships at Newquay.
Through careful saving and car-washing work at weekends, Tom Bolt had already raised £200 towards the cost of a tailor-made paddle board.

Now Redruth-based Lowena Homes have chipped in with a donation of £500 that has enabled Tom, a pupil at Camborne School and Community Science, to go ahead and take delivery of his own board.
Lowena Homes will take a close interest in his progress, with potential further sponsorship including ongoing promotional support.

Tom’s selection – for a sponsorship package totaling around £1,000 in value - followed Lowena’s public invitation to Cornish sports people and organisations to apply for financial support. This resulted in over a hundred applications.

(Right) Tom receiving his new paddle board from Lowena Homes' joint managing director, Jacques Egbers

Tom, a member of Portreath Surf Life Saving Club, wrote to Lowena Homes' joint managing director Jacques Egbers: “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw what you were offering. At Portreath, you can never use the same board twice because there are many children using them, but to achieve you need to get used to the same board.”

Mr Egbers said he had been impressed both by his achievements and by the quality of his application.

“He is clearly very dedicated and has put a lot of effort into his own fund-raising,” he said. “In his letter, he explained that by placing a £600 order with Gaisford Surf Equipment at St Day, he would be ‘helping small firms survive in Cornwall.’”

Tom, who swims five nights a week at Carn Brea Leisure Centre, came second and third respectively in Cornish and national events organised at Portreath last summer.

He is now aiming for selection in the Great Britain Under-17 team for Newquay in 2010 and says: “I have wonderful support from members of the Portreath club. They feel I have potential and can go far and I will not let them down.”

Lowena Homes plans to make at least one sports sponsorship award in every area where it builds new homes. It has already completed three developments in Camborne, Pool and Redruth and has a number of other projects now under way or planned for the area.

Mr Egbers commented: “It has been a very difficult task to make the sponsorship selections from so many worthy applicants.

“We are a fast-growing company. As we expand, so we want to build on our community involvement by making a real difference to the prospects of promising young Cornish sports people. In other words, let’s grow together!”

(Right) The sponsorship package also includes a padded bag for the board