Making a difference – One Individual at a time

Two years ago, the Rob George Foundation awarded Harry a grant to help towards the cost of his swimming training and attendance at a warm weather training camp in the Canary Islands.

Harry’s mum, Becky, has been in touch with a very welcome update. She told us: “The last two years have been difficult for all athletes and Harry has been affected like many from the stop/start training in response to Covid-19. He has kept fit any way he can, from completing online zoom workouts with his teammates, running the streets of our village and swimming circuits of our 12 ft paddling pool! He returned to full time training in the spring as soon as pools re-opened, but within 6 weeks picked up a shoulder sprain and has since developed a bursitis meaning he can only train for short periods before he must stop.

To add to his misfortune, he contracted Covid-19 which has left his energy levels lower than normal. Despite all this he doesn’t give up. His coaching team are outstanding and value him for who he is not just the time he achieves on a stopwatch and as such they motivate him to keep going. Harry’s squad are going on another training camp in February and Harry is working hard at his physiotherapy to ensure he doesn’t miss out on this opportunity. He is currently 9th in Britain for 200m Breaststroke over 25m despite his reduced training because of injury and Covid-19. His dad and I couldn’t be prouder of the resilience he has shown.

We would like to thank the Rob George Foundation for the support they have given to Harry and the interest that they maintain in his sporting development. Performance swimming is very expensive as is specialist sports therapy and the support the Foundation has provided in the past has eased the financial impact on us as a family and enabled us to give Harry every opportunity to be the best he can be. Thank you for the work you do in precious memory of your son, Rob.”

The photo of Harry in his red Retford Swimming Club t-shirt shows him proudly wearing Adam Peaty’s 100m breast British Swimming medal which he gave to Harry after the final in May 2017 when Harry went to watch him at Ponds Forge, Sheffield.